Methods and assemblies for determining and using standardized spectral responses for calibration of spectroscopic analyzers

ABSTRACT

Methods and assemblies may be used for determining and using standardized spectral responses for calibration of spectroscopic analyzers. The methods and assemblies may be used to calibrate or recalibrate a spectroscopic analyzer when the spectroscopic analyzer changes from a first state to a second state, the second state being defined as a period of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer. The calibration or recalibration may result in the spectroscopic analyzer outputting a standardized spectrum, such that the spectroscopic analyzer outputs a corrected material spectrum for an analyzed material, and defining the standardized spectrum. The corrected material spectrum may include signals indicative of material properties of an analyzed material, the material properties of the material being substantially consistent with material properties of the material output by the spectroscopic analyzer in the first state.

PRIORITY CLAIMS

This is a continuation of U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No.17/652,431, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled “METHODS AND ASSEMBLIES FORDETERMINING AND USING STANDARDIZED SPECTRAL RESPONSES FOR CALIBRATION OFSPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” which claims priority to and the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 63/153,452, filed Feb. 25, 2021, titled“METHODS AND ASSEMBLIES FOR DETERMINING AND USING STANDARDIZED SPECTRALRESPONSES FOR CALIBRATION OF SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” and U.S.Provisional Application No. 63/268,456, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled“ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING CONTROL OF FLUID CATALYTICCRACKING (FCC) PROCESSES USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” the disclosuresof all of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to methods and assemblies for determiningand using standardized spectral responses for calibration ofspectroscopic analyzers and, more particularly, to methods andassemblies for determining and using standardized spectral responses forcalibration of spectroscopic analyzers to enhance prediction of materialproperties.

BACKGROUND

Spectroscopic analyzers may be used to non-invasively predict (ordetermine) properties associated with materials. For example, a sampleof material may be fed to a spectroscopic analyzer for analysis, and abeam of electromagnetic radiation may be transmitted into the materialsample, resulting in the spectroscopic analyzer measuring a spectralresponse representative of the chemical composition of the samplematerial, which may be used to predict (or determine) properties of thesample material via the use of modeling. The spectral response mayinclude a spectrum related to the absorbance, transmission,transflectance, reflectance, or scattering intensity caused by thematerial sample over a range of wavelengths, wavenumbers, or frequenciesof the electromagnetic radiation.

Calibration of spectroscopic analyzers may be a tedious andtime-intensive process. For example, to calibrate some spectroscopicanalyzers for certain uses, it may be necessary to analyze hundreds orthousands of material samples having known material properties toachieve a desired level of response accuracy for the spectroscopicanalyzer. If more than one spectroscopic analyzer needs to becalibrated, the time required for calibration may be multiplied. Inmanufacturing situations, this may lead to excessive down-time formonitoring, optimization, or other control of a production process,resulting in production and financial inefficiencies.

An attempt to improve a process of calibrating spectroscopic analyzersis described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,243,546 to Maggard et al. (“the '546patent”). The '546 patent describes methods for calibratingspectroscopic analyzers that modify a calibration equation of thespectroscopic analyzer. As described by the '546 patent, the calibrationequation is an equation that transforms spectral data of a particularsample at a variety of wavelengths to a calculated value for a chemicalor physical property. The form of such calibration equations is that ofa linear combination of absorbances, or mathematical transforms ofabsorbances, measured by the spectroscopic analyzers for each sample.

Applicant has recognized that the methods of '546 patent may stillresult in a tedious and time-intensive process and may suffer from otherpossible drawbacks. For example, although the calibration equations maybe helpful in calibrating spectroscopic analyzers, to obtain a desiredlevel of accuracy, reproducibility, and consistency for manyapplications, the methods described in the '546 patent may stilladditionally require analyzing an undesirably high number of materialsamples.

Applicant also has recognized that over time the results of analysisusing a spectroscopic analyzer may change, for example, due to changesor degradation of the components of the spectroscopic analyzer, such asits lamp, laser, detector, or grating. Changing or servicing componentsof the spectroscopic analyzer may alter its spectral responses relativeto the spectral responses outputted prior to the changes, necessitatingrecalibration. Further, for some applications, more than onespectroscopic analyzer may be used in association with analysis ofmaterials at, for example, a production facility, and it may bedesirable for two or more of the spectroscopic analyzers to generateresults that are reproducible and consistent with one another to enhancecontrol of the production process. Due to the complex nature,sensitivity, and principle of operation of spectroscopic analyzers,however, two spectroscopic analyzers may not be likely to provideequivalent results within the variability of the primary test methodwith which calibration models were made without additional activity,even when analyzing the same sample of material. This may result in alack of reproducibility or consistency of results across differentspectroscopic analyzers, potentially rendering comparisons between theresults outputted by two or more spectroscopic analyzers of littlevalue, unless the spectroscopic analyzers have been calibrated toachieve the same spectral responses.

Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for methods andassemblies that reduce the number of material samples and time requiredfor calibrating a spectroscopic analyzer while achieving desired levelsof accuracy, reproducibility, and/or consistent results. The presentdisclosure may address one or more of the above-referenced drawbacks, aswell as other possible drawbacks.

SUMMARY

As referenced above, calibration of spectroscopic analyzers may be atedious and time-intensive process. Additionally, Applicant hasrecognized that over time the results of analysis using a spectroscopicanalyzer may change due to changing or servicing components of thespectroscopic analyzer that may alter its spectral responses relative tothe spectral responses outputted prior to the changes, necessitatingrecalibration or other activity. Moreover, for some applications, it maybe desirable for two or more of the spectroscopic analyzers to outputresults that are reproducible and consistent with one another to enhancecontrol of a production process. However, two spectroscopic analyzersmay not be likely to provide equivalent results within the necessaryvariability for the predicted (or determined) property/ies, even whenanalyzing the same sample of material, which may result in a lack of thedesired reproducibility or consistency of results across differentspectroscopic analyzers, potentially rendering comparisons between theresults outputted by two or more spectroscopic analyzers of littlevalue, unless additional adjustments are performed or the spectroscopicanalyzers have been standardized to achieve the same spectral responses.

The present disclosure is generally directed to methods and assembliesfor determining and using standardized spectral responses forcalibration of spectroscopic analyzers. For example, in someembodiments, the methods and assemblies may be used to calibrate orrecalibrate a spectroscopic analyzer when the spectroscopic analyzerchanges from a first state to a second state, for example, the secondstate being defined as a period of time after a change to thespectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate the spectroscopicanalyzer. In some embodiments, the recalibration may result in thespectroscopic analyzer outputting a standardized spectrum, for example,such that the spectroscopic analyzer outputs a corrected materialspectrum for an analyzed material, including one or more of anabsorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum and defining the standardized spectrum.In some embodiments, the corrected material spectrum, output when thecalibrated or recalibrated spectroscopic analyzer is in the secondstate, may include a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality ofmaterial properties of an analyzed material based at least in part onthe corrected material spectrum, the plurality of material properties ofthe material being substantially consistent with a plurality of materialproperties of the material outputted by the spectroscopic analyzer inthe first state. This may enhance the accuracy, reproducibility, and/orconsistency of results outputted by the second-state recalibratedspectroscopic analyzer prior to recalibration relative to resultsoutputted by the first-state spectroscopic analyzer.

In some embodiments, using calibration of a first spectroscopic analyzerto calibrate one or more additional spectroscopic analyzers may includeusing standardized analyzer spectra for calibration of a spectroscopicanalyzer, for example, such that each of the one or more spectroscopicanalyzers outputs a corrected material spectrum, including a pluralityof signals indicative of a plurality of material properties of ananalyzed material based at least in part on the corrected materialspectrum, such that the plurality of material properties of the materialare substantially consistent with a plurality of material properties ofthe material outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer. In someembodiments, this may result in achieving desired levels of accuracy,reproducibility, and/or consistent results from a plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers, potentially rendering comparisons between theresults outputted by two or more spectroscopic analyzers more valuable,for example, when incorporated into a complex process including aplurality of different material altering processes.

According to some embodiments, a method for determining and usingstandardized analyzer spectral responses to enhance a process forcalibration of a spectroscopic analyzer when a spectroscopic analyzerchanges from a first state to a second state, the second state beingdefined as a period of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzercausing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer,may include analyzing, via the spectroscopic analyzer when in the firststate, a selected plurality of multi-component samples to outputfirst-state sample spectra. The analyzing of the selected plurality ofmulti-component samples may occur during a first-state time period. Themethod further may include determining one or more spectral models basedat least in part on the first-state sample spectra and correspondingsample data. The method still further may include analyzing, via thespectroscopic analyzer when in the first state, a selected one or morefirst-state portfolio samples to output a standardized analyzer spectraportfolio for the selected one or more first-state portfolio samples.The standardized analyzer spectra portfolio may include a first-stateportfolio sample spectrum for each of the first-state portfolio samples.The method also may include analyzing, via a spectroscopic analyzer whenin the second state, a selected one or more second-state portfoliosamples to output second-state portfolio sample spectra for the selectedone or more second-state portfolio samples. Each of the second-stateportfolio sample spectra may be associated with a correspondingsecond-state portfolio sample. The analyzing of the selected one or moresecond-state portfolio samples may occur during a second-state timeperiod. The multi-component samples may include a significantly greaternumber of samples than a number of samples included in the second-stateportfolio samples, and the second-state time period for analyzing thesecond-state portfolio samples may be significantly less than thefirst-state time period. The method still further may include comparingone or more of the second-state portfolio sample spectra for theselected one or more second-state portfolio samples to one or more ofthe first-state portfolio sample spectra of the standardized analyzerspectra portfolio corresponding to first-state portfolio samples of thespectroscopic analyzer as analyzed and output when in the first stateduring the first-state time period. The method further may includedetermining, based at least in part on the comparison, for the one ormore of the selected one or more second-state portfolio samples of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra, a variance at one or more of aplurality of wavelengths or over a range of wavelengths between thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra output by the spectroscopicanalyzer when in the second state and the first-state portfolio samplespectra of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio. The standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio may be used to reduce the variance betweenthe second-state portfolio sample spectra and the first-state portfoliosample spectra.

In some embodiments, the method also may include analyzing, via thespectroscopic analyzer when in the second state, a material receivedfrom a material source to output a material spectrum. The method stillfurther may include transforming, based at least in part on thestandardized analyzer spectra portfolio, the material spectrum to outputa corrected material spectrum for the material when in the second state.The corrected material spectrum may include one or more of anabsorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum and may define a standardized spectrum,for example, and/or a mathematical treatment of the material spectrum,such as, for example, a second derivative of the material spectrum.

According to some embodiments, a method for determining and usingstandardized analyzer spectral responses to enhance a process forcalibration of a plurality of spectroscopic analyzers such that for agiven material each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers outputsa plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of material propertiesof the material, the plurality of material properties of the materialoutput by each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers beingsubstantially consistent with one another, may include transferring oneor more spectral models to each of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers. Each of the one or more spectral models may be indicative ofrelationships between a spectrum or spectra and one or more of theplurality of material properties of one or more materials. The methodalso may include analyzing, via the first spectroscopic analyzer when ina first state, a selected one or more first-state portfolio samples tooutput a standardized analyzer spectra portfolio for the selected one ormore first-state portfolio samples. The standardized analyzer spectraportfolio may include a first-state portfolio sample spectrum for eachof the first-state portfolio samples. The method further may includeanalyzing, via each of a remainder of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers when in a second state a selected one or more second-stateportfolio samples to output second-state portfolio sample spectra forthe selected one or more second-state portfolio samples. Each of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra may be associated with acorresponding second-state portfolio sample. The analysis of theselected one or more second-state portfolio samples may occur during asecond-state time period. The multi-component samples may include asignificantly greater number of samples than a number of samplesincluded in the second-state portfolio samples, and the second-statetime period for analyzing the second-state portfolio samples may besignificantly less than the first-state time period. The method also mayinclude comparing one or more of the second-state portfolio samplespectra for the selected plurality of portfolio samples to thefirst-state sample spectra of a selected plurality of correspondingfirst-state multi-component samples. The method still further mayinclude determining, based at least in part on the comparison, for theone or more of the selected plurality of portfolio samples of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra, a variance at one or more of aplurality of wavelengths or over a range of wavelengths between thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra output by each of the remainder ofthe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers when in the second state andthe first-state sample spectra corresponding to the selected one or morefirst-state multi-component material samples output by the firstspectroscopic analyzer in the first state.

In some embodiments, the method still further may include analyzing, viaone or more of the remainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzerswhen in the second state, a material received from a material source tooutput a material spectrum. The method also may include transforming,based at least in part on the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio,the material spectrum to output a corrected material spectrum for thematerial when in the second state, the corrected material spectrumincluding one or more of an absorption-corrected spectrum,transmittance-corrected spectrum, a transflectance-corrected spectrum, areflectance-corrected spectrum, or an intensity-corrected spectrum anddefining a standardized spectrum, for example, and/or a mathematicaltreatment of the material spectrum, such as, for example, a secondderivative of the material spectrum.

According to some embodiments, a method for determining and usingstandardized analyzer spectral responses to enhance a process forcalibration of a spectroscopic analyzer when a spectroscopic analyzerchanges from a first state to a second state, the second state beingdefined as a period of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzercausing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer,the spectroscopic analyzer including one or more detectors, may includeanalyzing, via the spectroscopic analyzer when in the first state, aselected plurality of multi-component samples to output first-statesample spectra. The analysis of the selected plurality ofmulti-component samples may occur during a first-state time period. Themethod further may include determining one or more spectral models basedat least in part on the first-state sample spectra and correspondingsample data. The method still further may include analyzing, via thespectroscopic analyzer when in the first state, a selected one or morefirst-state portfolio samples to output a standardized analyzer spectraportfolio for the selected one or more first-state portfolio samples.The standardized analyzer spectra portfolio may include a first-stateportfolio sample spectrum for each of the first-state portfolio samples.The method still further may include analyzing, via a spectroscopicanalyzer when in the second state, a selected one or more second-stateportfolio samples to output second-state portfolio sample spectra forthe selected one or more second-state portfolio samples. Each of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra may be associated with acorresponding second-state portfolio sample. The analysis of theselected one or more second-state portfolio samples may occur during asecond-state time period. The multi-component samples may include asignificantly greater number of samples than a number of samplesincluded in the second-state portfolio samples, and the second-statetime period for analyzing the second-state portfolio samples may besignificantly less than the first-state time period. The method also mayinclude comparing one or more of the second-state portfolio samplespectra for the selected one or more second-state portfolio samples toone or more of the first-state portfolio sample spectra of thestandardized analyzer spectra portfolio corresponding to first-stateportfolio samples of the spectroscopic analyzer as analyzed and outputwhen in the first state during the first-state time period. The methodalso may include determining, based at least in part on the comparison,for the one or more of the selected one or more second-state portfoliosamples of the second-state portfolio sample spectra, a variance at oneor more of a plurality of wavelengths or over a range of wavelengthsbetween the second-state portfolio sample spectra output by thespectroscopic analyzer when in the second state and the first-stateportfolio sample spectra of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio.The standardized analyzer spectra portfolio may be used to reduce thevariance between the second-state portfolio sample spectra and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra.

In some embodiments, the method further may include analyzing, via thespectroscopic analyzer when in the second state, a material receivedfrom a material source to output a material spectrum. The method stillfurther may include altering, based at least in part on the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio, a gain associated with one or more of theone or more analyzer sources, the one or more detectors, or one or moredetector responses at one or more of the wavelengths to output acorrected material spectrum for the material when in the second state,the corrected material spectrum including one or more of anabsorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum and defining a standardized spectrum,for example, and/or a mathematical treatment of the material spectrum,such as, for example, a second derivative of the material spectrum.

In some embodiments, a spectroscopic analyzer assembly to determine anduse standardized analyzer spectral responses to enhance a process forcalibration of a spectroscopic analyzer when a spectroscopic analyzerchanges from a first state to a second state, the second state beingdefined as a period of time after a change to a spectroscopic analyzercausing a need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer,may include a spectroscopic analyzer and an analyzer controller incommunication with the spectroscopic analyzer. The analyzer controllermay be configured to output, based at least in part on one or moresignals received from the spectroscopic analyzer when in the first stateduring a first-state time period, first-state sample spectra for each ofa selected plurality of multi-component samples. The analyzer controllerfurther may be configured to determine one or more spectral models basedat least in part on the first-state sample spectra and correspondingsample data. The analyzer controller still further may be configured tooutput, based at least in part on one or more signals received from thespectroscopic analyzer when in the first state, a standardized analyzerspectra portfolio for a selected one or more first-state portfoliosamples. The standardized analyzer spectra portfolio may include afirst-state portfolio sample spectrum for each of the first-stateportfolio samples. The analyzer controller still further may beconfigured to output, based at least in part on one or more signalsreceived from the spectroscopic analyzer when in the second state duringa second-state time period, a second-state portfolio spectrum for eachof a selected one or more second-state portfolio samples. Each of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra may be associated with acorresponding second state portfolio sample. The multi-component samplesmay include a significantly greater number of samples than a number ofsamples included in the second-state portfolio samples, and thesecond-state time period for analyzing the second-state portfoliosamples may be significantly less than the first-state time period. Theanalyzer controller also may be configured to compare one or more of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra for the selected one or moresecond-state portfolio samples to a first-state sample spectra of aselected plurality of corresponding first-state portfolio samples of thespectroscopic analyzer as analyzed and output when in the first stateduring the first-state time period. Each of the first-state portfoliosample spectra may be associated with a corresponding first-stateportfolio sample. The analyzer controller further may be configured todetermine, based at least in part on the comparing, for the one or moreof the selected one or more second-state portfolio samples of thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra, a variance at one or more of aplurality of wavelengths or over a range of wavelengths between thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra output by the spectroscopicanalyzer when in the second state and the first-state portfolio samplespectra of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio. The standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio may be used to reduce the variance betweenthe second-state portfolio sample spectra and the first-state portfoliosample spectra.

In some embodiments, the analyzer controller also may be configured toanalyze, when in the second state, a material received from a materialsource to output a material spectrum. The analyzer controller furthermay be configured to transform, based at least in part on thestandardized analyzer spectra portfolio, the material spectrum to outputa corrected material spectrum for the material when in the second state,the corrected material spectrum including one or more of anabsorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum and defining a standardized spectrum,for example, and/or a mathematical treatment of the material spectrum,such as, for example, a second derivative of the material spectrum.

Still other aspects, examples, and advantages of these exemplary aspectsand embodiments, are discussed in more detail below. It is to beunderstood that both the foregoing information and the followingdetailed description are merely illustrative examples of various aspectsand embodiments, and are intended to provide an overview or frameworkfor understanding the nature and character of the claimed aspects andembodiments. Accordingly, these and other objects, along with advantagesand features of the present disclosure herein disclosed, may becomeapparent through reference to the following description and theaccompanying drawings. Furthermore, it is to be understood that thefeatures of the various embodiments described herein are not mutuallyexclusive and may exist in various combinations and permutations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure, areincorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrateembodiments of the present disclosure, and together with the detaileddescription, serve to explain principles of the embodiments discussedherein. No attempt is made to show structural details of this disclosurein more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding ofthe exemplary embodiments discussed herein and the various ways in whichthey may be practiced. According to common practice, the variousfeatures of the drawings discussed below are not necessarily drawn toscale. Dimensions of various features and elements in the drawings maybe expanded or reduced to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an example spectroscopic analyzer assemblyincluding a single spectroscopic analyzer and analyzer controllerreceiving example inputs and outputting example outputs in relation toan example timeline, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of another spectroscopic analyzer assemblyincluding first and second spectroscopic analyzers and respective firstand second analyzer controllers receiving example inputs and generatingexample outputs in relation to an example timeline, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of another spectroscopic analyzer assemblyincluding a first standardized spectroscopic analyzer and first analyzercontroller standardizing a second spectroscopic analyzer and secondanalyzer controller showing example inputs and example outputs inrelation to an example timeline, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 1D is a block diagram of the example spectroscopic analyzerassembly shown in FIG. 1A including an example analyzer controllerconfigured to output example gain signal(s) for analyzer detector(s)and/or detector response(s) for changing gain, according to embodimentsof the disclosure.

FIG. 1E is a block diagram of the example spectroscopic analyzerassembly shown in FIGS. 1A and 1D including an example analyzercontroller configured to output example gain signal(s) for an analyzersource for changing gain, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 1F is a block diagram of the example spectroscopic analyzerassembly shown in FIG. 1B including an example second analyzercontroller configured to output example gain signal(s) for analyzerdetector(s) and/or detector response(s) for changing gain, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 1G is a block diagram of the example spectroscopic analyzerassembly shown in FIG. 1C including a second analyzer controllerconfigured to output example gain signal(s) for analyzer detector(s),and/or detector response(s) for changing gain, according to embodimentsof the disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of another spectroscopic analyzer assemblyincluding a first standardized spectroscopic analyzer and a firstanalyzer controller configured to standardize a plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers and showing example inputs and example outputsin relation to an example timeline, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 2B is a continuation of the block diagram shown in FIG. 2A showingthe plurality of example standardized spectroscopic analyzers outputtingrespective analyzer portfolio sample-based corrections based at least inpart on respective variances, and analyzing conditioned materials foroutputting respective corrected material spectra, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 2C is a continuation of the block diagrams shown in FIGS. 2A and 2Bshowing respective corrected material spectra output by the plurality ofstandardized spectroscopic analyzers used to output predicted (ordetermined) material data for the materials for use in an exampleprocess, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a process flow diagram illustrating an example calibrationand/or recalibration process for standardizing spectroscopic analyzers,according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram illustrating an example materialanalysis process, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram illustrating an example process forchecking for a change in a spectroscopic analyzer to determine whetherto calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram of an example material processingarrangement using a plurality of example spectroscopic analyzers andrespective analyzer controllers to prescriptively control the materialprocessing arrangement, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram of another example material processingarrangement using a plurality of example spectroscopic analyzers andrespective analyzer controllers to prescriptively control the materialprocessing arrangement, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 7A is a graph illustrating an example first material spectrumoutputted by a first spectroscopic analyzer of an examplemulti-component material and a second material spectrum outputted by asecond spectroscopic analyzer of the same multi-component materialoverlaid onto the first material spectrum, according to embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 7B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 7A highlighting the variance betweenthe two material spectra shown in FIG. 7A, according to embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 8A is a graph illustrating an example first material secondderivative spectrum (sometimes referred to as “the second derivative ofthe spectrum”) outputted by a first spectroscopic analyzer of an examplemulti-component material and a second material spectrum outputted by asecond spectroscopic analyzer of the same multi-component materialoverlaid onto the first material spectrum, according to embodiments ofthe disclosure.

FIG. 8B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 8A showing the second derivativespectrum and highlighting the variance between the two material spectrashown in FIG. 8A, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 8C is a blow-up view of another example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 8A showing the second derivativespectrum and highlighting the variance between the two material spectrashown in FIG. 8A, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 8D is a blow-up view of yet another example range of wavelengths ofa portion of the graph shown in FIG. 8A showing the second derivativespectrum and highlighting the variance between the two material spectrashown in FIG. 8A, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 9A is a graph illustrating examples of a first-state materialspectrum and a second-state material spectrum output by a first-stateand a second-state spectroscopic analyzer, respectively, of an examplemulti-component material, and a third (or corrected) material spectrumrepresenting a corrected material spectrum output to cause thesecond-state material spectrum to be consistent with the first-statematerial spectrum, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 9B is a blow-up view of an example range of absorbances of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 9A highlighting the variance betweenthe first-state and second-state material spectra shown in FIG. 9A andthe similarity of the third material spectrum corrected to be consistentwith the first-state material spectrum, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 9C is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 9A highlighting the variance betweenthe first-state and second-state material spectra shown in FIG. 9A andthe similarity of the third material spectrum corrected to be consistentwith the first-state material spectrum, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 9D is a blow-up view of another example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 9A highlighting the variance betweenthe first-state and second-state material spectra shown in FIG. 9A andthe similarity of the third material spectrum corrected to be consistentwith the first-state material spectrum, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 9E is a blow-up view of the first-state material spectrum, thesecond-state material spectrum, and the third material spectrum (acorrected material spectrum) of another example range of wavelengths ofa portion of the graph shown in FIG. 9A highlighting the variancebetween the first-state and second-state material spectra and thesimilarity of the third material spectrum corrected to be consistentwith the first-state material spectrum, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 10A is a graph illustrating examples of a first-state materialsecond derivative spectrum and a second-state material second derivativespectrum outputted by a first-state and a second-state spectroscopicanalyzer of another example multi-component material, and a third (orcorrected) material second derivative spectrum (a corrected secondderivative spectrum) representing a corrected material spectrumoutputted to cause the second-state material second derivative spectrumto substantially match the first-state material second derivativespectrum, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 10B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 10A of the first-state materialsecond derivative spectrum, the second-state material second derivativespectrum, and the third material second derivative spectrum (a correctedsecond derivative spectrum) and highlighting the variance between thefirst-state and second-state material second derivative spectra shown inFIG. 10A and the similarity of the third material second derivativespectrum to the first-state material second derivative spectrum,according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 10C is a blow-up view of another example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 10A of the first-state materialsecond derivative spectrum, the second-state material second derivativespectrum, and a third material second derivative spectrum (a correctedsecond derivative spectrum) and highlighting the variance between thefirst-state and second-state material second derivative spectra shown inFIG. 10A and the similarity of the third material second derivativespectrum to the first-state material second derivative spectrum,according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 11A is a graph illustrating examples of a first-state materialspectrum and a second-state material spectrum outputted by a first-stateand a second-state spectroscopic analyzer, respectively, of anotherexample multi-component material, and a third (or corrected) materialspectrum representing a corrected material spectrum outputted to causethe second-state material spectrum to substantially match thefirst-state material spectrum, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 11B is a blow-up view of the first-state material spectrum, thesecond-state material spectrum, and third material spectrum (a correctedmaterial spectrum) of another example range of wavelengths of a portionof the graph shown in FIG. 11A highlighting the variance between thefirst-state and second-state material spectra and the similarity of thethird material spectrum to the first-state material spectrum, accordingto embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 12A is a graph illustrating examples of material spectra outputtedby respective spectroscopic analyzers of another example multi-componentmaterial, gasoline, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 12B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 12A, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 12C is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 12A, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 12D is a graph illustrating examples of material spectra outputtedby a first-state spectroscopic analyzer and multiple second-statespectroscopic analyzers, respectively, of the same examplemulti-component material of FIGS. 12A-12C, gasoline, corrected to beconsistent with the first-state material spectrum, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 12E is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 12D, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 12F is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 12D, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 13A is a graph illustrating the respective second derivativespectra of the examples of material spectra of FIGS. 12A through 12Eoutputted by the respective spectroscopic analyzers, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 13B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 13A, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 13C is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 13A, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 13D is a graph illustrating examples of the second derivativematerial spectra outputted by a first-state spectroscopic analyzer andmultiple second-state spectroscopic analyzers, respectively, of the sameexample multi-component material of FIGS. 13A-13C, gasoline, correctedto be consistent with the first-state material spectrum, according toembodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 13E is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 13D, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 13F is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph shown in FIG. 13D, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B show a block diagram of an example method fordetermining and using standardized analyzer spectral responses forcalibration of a spectroscopic analyzer when a spectroscopic analyzerchanges from a first state to a second state, according to embodimentsof the disclosure.

FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B show a block diagram of an example method forusing standardized analyzer spectral responses from a firstspectroscopic analyzer for calibration of a second spectroscopicanalyzer, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 16A, FIG. 16B, and FIG. 16C show a block diagram of an examplemethod for determining and using standardized analyzer spectralresponses to calibrate a plurality of spectroscopic analyzers, such thatfor a given material each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzersoutputs a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of materialproperties of the material that are consistent with one another,according to embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like partsthroughout the several views, the following description is provided asan enabling teaching of exemplary embodiments, and those skilled in therelevant art will recognize that many changes can be made to theembodiments described. It also will be apparent that some of the desiredbenefits of the embodiments described can be obtained by selecting someof the features of the embodiments without utilizing other features.Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that manymodifications and adaptations to the embodiments described are possibleand can even be desirable in certain circumstances. Thus, the followingdescription is provided as illustrative of the principles of theembodiments and not in limitation thereof.

The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. As used herein, theterm “plurality” refers to two or more items or components. Amulti-component sample may refer to a single (one) sample including aplurality of components, such as two or more components. The terms“comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” and“involving,” whether in the written description or the claims and thelike, are open-ended terms, i.e., to mean “including but not limitedto,” unless otherwise stated. Thus, the use of such terms is meant toencompass the items listed thereafter, and equivalents thereof, as wellas additional items. The transitional phrases “consisting of” and“consisting essentially of,” are closed or semi-closed transitionalphrases, respectively, with respect to any claims. Use of ordinal termssuch as “first,” “second,” “third,” and the like in the claims to modifya claim element does not necessarily, by itself, connote any priority,precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporalorder in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely aslabels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name fromanother element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) todistinguish claim elements.

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an example spectroscopic analyzer assembly10 including a spectroscopic analyzer 12 and an analyzer controller 14receiving example inputs and generating example outputs in relation toan example timeline depicting the passage of time from the top to thebottom of FIG. 1A according to embodiments of the disclosure. Thespectroscopic analyzer 12 may be a near-infrared spectroscopic analyzer,a mid-infrared spectroscopic analyzer, a combination of a near-infraredspectroscopic analyzer and a mid-infrared spectroscopic analyzer, or aRaman spectroscopic analyzer, as will be understood by those skilled inthe art. As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the spectroscopicanalyzer assembly 10 may be used to determine and use standardizedanalyzer spectral responses for calibration of the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 when the spectroscopic analyzer 12 changes from a firststate to a second state, such as a period of time after a change to thespectroscopic analyzer 12 causing a need to calibrate (or recalibrate)the spectroscopic analyzer 12. For example, in some embodiments, usingthe standardized analyzer spectra may include the use of a priorspectral model developed on the spectroscopic analyzer 12 when in thefirst state after a change to the same spectroscopic analyzer 12, suchthat, when in the second state, analysis by the spectroscopic analyzer12 of a first multi-component material results in generation of asecond-state spectrum that is consistent with a first-state spectrumoutputted by the spectroscopic analyzer 12, when in the first state,resulting from analysis of the first multi-component material. Thus, insome embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 will be capable ofgenerating the substantially same spectrum both before and after anevent causing the need to calibrate (or recalibrate) the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 (e.g., a change to the spectroscopic analyzer 12, such asmaintenance and/or component replacement). In some embodiments, this mayimprove one or more of the accuracy, reproducibility, or consistency ofresults outputted by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 after a change instate from the first state to the second state. For example, thespectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 may beconfigured to analyze a multi-component material and output a pluralityof signals indicative of a plurality of material properties of thematerial based at least in part on a corrected material spectrum, suchthat the plurality of material properties of the material are consistentwith (e.g., are similar to, substantially match, are substantiallyequivalent to, or are substantially the same as) a plurality of materialproperties of the material outputted by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 inthe first state, for example, prior to calibrating or recalibrating thespectroscopic analyzer 12. As used herein, “material properties” and“material data” may in at least some instances be substantiallysynonymous, although in some instances, “material properties” may be asubset of “material data.” “Material data” and “material properties” mayin at least some instances be substantially synonymous with “sampledata” and “sample properties,” respectively.

Referring to FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14may be in communication with the spectroscopic analyzer 12. In someembodiments, the analyzer controller 14 may be configured for use with acorresponding spectroscopic analyzer 12 for pre-processing and/orpost-processing steps or procedures related to a spectroscopic analysis,as will be understood by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments,the analyzer controller 14 may be physically connected to thespectroscopic analyzer 12. In some such embodiments, spectroscopicanalyzer 12 may include a housing, and at least a portion of theanalyzer controller 14 may be contained in the housing. In some suchembodiments, the analyzer controller 14 may be in communication with thespectroscopic analyzer 12 via a hard-wired and/or wirelesscommunications link. In some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14 maybe physically separated from the spectroscopic analyzer 12 and may be incommunication with the spectroscopic analyzer 12 via a hard-wiredcommunications link and/or a wireless communications link. In someembodiments, physical separation may include being spaced from oneanother, but within the same building, within the same facility (e.g.,located at a common manufacturing facility, such as a refinery), orbeing spaced from one another geographically (e.g., anywhere in theworld). In some physically separated embodiments, both the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 and the analyzer controller 14 may be linked to a commoncommunications network, such as a hard-wired communications networkand/or a wireless communications network. Such communications links mayoperate according to any known hard-wired and/or wireless communicationsprotocols as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14 maybe configured to determine standardized analyzer spectral responses forcalibration of the spectroscopic analyzer 12 when a spectroscopicanalyzer 12 changes from the first state to the second state. Forexample, the analyzer controller 14, while in the first state and duringa first-state time period T₁, may be configured to analyze a pluralityof different multi-component samples 16 and, based at least in part onthe multi-component samples 16, output first-state sample spectra 18 ofthe different multi-component samples 16. In some embodiments, each ofthe first-state sample spectra 18 may be collected and stored, forexample, in a database. In some embodiments, each of the first-statesample spectra 18 may be associated with a corresponding differentmulti-component sample 16 and may be indicative of a plurality ofdifferent multi-component sample properties. In some embodiments, thefirst-state sample spectra 18, in combination with material data 19associated with each of the multi-component samples 16, may be used tooutput one or more spectral model(s) 20, which, in turn, may be used tocalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with (e.g., and/or) the analyzercontroller 14, resulting in an analyzer calibration 22. The materialdata 19 may include any data related to one or more propertiesassociated with one or more of the respective multi-component samples16. For the sake of clarity in the drawings, FIGS. 1A-2A show thematerial data 19 being input or communicated to the spectroscopicanalyzers 12. It is contemplated that the material data 19 may be inputor communicated to the analyzer controllers 14 (and/or the spectroscopicanalyzers 12). The one or more spectral model(s) 20 may be indicative ofrelationships between a spectrum or spectra of the first-state samplespectra 18 and one or more properties associated with one or more ofrespective multi-component samples 16, and the relationships may be usedto provide the analyzer calibration 22. In some embodiments, as will beunderstood by those skilled in the art, the one or more spectralmodel(s) 20 may represent a univariate or multivariate regression (e.g.,a least-squares regression, a multiple linear regression (MLR), apartial least squares regression (PLS), a principal component regression(PCR)), such as a regression of material data (e.g., one or moreproperties of the multi-component sample) against a correspondingspectrum of the first-state sample spectra 18. In some embodiments, theone or more spectral model(s) 20 may represent topological modeling byuse of nearest neighbor positioning to calculate properties, based onthe material data (e.g., one or more properties of the multi-componentsample) against a corresponding spectrum of the first-state samplespectra 18, as also will be understood by those skilled in the art. Thismay facilitate prediction of one or more properties of a materialanalyzed by the spectroscopic analyzer 12, once calibrated, based atleast in part on a spectrum associated with the material.

In some embodiments, the plurality of different multi-component samples16 may include a number of multi-component samples ranging, for example,from about 10 samples to about 2,500 samples, from about 50 samples toabout 2,000 samples, from about 75 samples to about 1,500 samples, fromabout 100 samples to about 1,000 samples, from about 100 samples toabout 900 samples, from about 100 samples to about 800 samples, fromabout 100 samples to about 700 samples, from about 100 samples to about600 samples, from about 100 samples to about 500 samples, from about 100samples to about 400 samples, from about 200 samples to about 900samples, from about 300 samples to about 800 samples, from about 400samples to about 700 samples, from about 500 samples to about 600samples, or from about 450 samples to about 650 samples. For example, insome embodiments, in order to calibrate the spectroscopic analyzer 12with the analyzer controller 14 to a desired level of accuracy and/orreproducibility, it may be necessary to analyze hundreds or thousands ofmulti-component samples 16. Due to the relatively large number ofmulti-component samples 16 used for calibration, the first-state timeperiod which may generally correspond to a time period during which thenumber of multi-component samples 16 are analyzed, may range, forexample, from about 8 hours to about 200 hours, from about 12 hours toabout 175 hours, from about 20 hours to about 150 hours, from about 20hours to about 130 hours, from about 20 hours to about 110 hours, fromabout 20 hours to about 90 hours, from about 20 hours to about 70 hours,from about 20 hours to about 50 hours, from about 20 hours to about 40hours, from about 30 hours to about 150 hours, from about 40 hours toabout 130 hours, from about 40 hours to about 110 hours, or from about50 hours to about 90 hours. For example, in some embodiments, in orderto calibrate the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller14 to a desired level of accuracy and/or reproducibility, due to therelatively large number of samples analyzed, the first-state time periodT₁ may take dozens of hours to complete, as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art.

As shown in FIG. 1A, following calibration of the spectroscopic analyzer12 with the analyzer controller 14, the spectral responses of thespectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 may bestandardized, for example, by analyzing one or more first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 to output a standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 24 including one or more first-state portfolio sample spectra25. For example, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14, when in the first state, may be used to analyze one ormore first-state portfolio sample(s) 23 to output the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio 24 including a first-state portfolio spectrum25 for each of the one or more first-state portfolio sample(s) 23. Insome embodiments, the respective first-state portfolio sample spectrum25 associated with a respective first-state portfolio sample 23 may bestored to develop the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, whichmay be used to reduce a variance between a second-state portfolio samplespectrum (outputted during a second state) and a correspondingfirst-state portfolio sample spectrum 25 of the standardized analyzerspectra portfolio 24, for example, as described herein. The first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 may include one or more samples, and the one ormore samples may include a pure compound, a mixture of compounds, and/orone or more multi-component samples.

As shown in FIG. 1A, following calibration and/or standardization of thespectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14, thespectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 may be used toanalyze multi-component materials to predict properties of the analyzedmulti-component materials, as will be understood by those skilled in theart. For example, in some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer 12with the analyzer controller 14 may be used as part of a manufacturingprocess, for example, as described herein with respect to FIGS. 2A, 2B,4, 6A, and 6B. For example, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with theanalyzer controller 14 may be used to analyze multi-component materials,and the corresponding material properties predicted (or determined) fromthe analyses may be used to assist with at least partial control of themanufacturing process or processes.

For example, as schematically shown in FIG. 1A, a manufacturing process26 may include a material source 28 for multi-component materials (e.g.,fluids, such as gases and/or liquids) of the manufacturing process 26,and multi-component materials associated with the manufacturing process26 may be diverted for analysis by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 withthe analyzer controller 14. In some embodiments, for example, as shownin FIG. 1A, the multi-component materials may be conditioned viamaterial conditioning 30 to output conditioned material for analysis 32by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14. Insome embodiments, material conditioning 30 may include one or more offiltering particulates and/or fluid contaminants from themulti-component material, controlling the temperature of themulti-component material (e.g., reducing or increasing the temperatureto be within a desired range of temperatures), or controlling thepressure of the multi-component material (e.g., reducing or increasingthe pressure to be within a desired range of pressures).

Upon analysis of the multi-component materials from the material source28, which may be a feed to a processing unit and/or an output from aprocessing unit, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14, using the analyzer calibration 22, may output a pluralityof material spectra 34 and, based at least in part on the materialspectra 34, predict (or determine) a plurality of material propertiesassociated with the multi-component materials. In some embodiments, thematerial spectra 34 and the associated predicted or determined materialproperties may be stored in a database as predicted (or determined)material data 36. It is contemplated that additional material dataassociated with the multi-component materials analyzed may also beincluded in the database to supplement the predicted or determinedmaterial properties. For example, the database may define a libraryincluding material data including correlations between the plurality ofmaterial spectra and the plurality of different material sampleproperties of the corresponding material sample.

In some embodiments, the analysis of the multi-component materials mayoccur during a first material time period T_(P1), as shown in FIG. 1A.As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14 mayalso be configured to output one or more output signals 38 indicative ofthe multi-component material properties. The output signal(s) 38 may beused to at least partially control a manufacturing process, for example,as described with respect to FIGS. 2C, 4, 6A, and 6B (e.g., outputsignals 38 a through 38 n). In some examples, at least some of theoutput signal(s) 38 may be communicated to one or more display devices,such as, for example, a computer monitor and/or portable output devices,such as a laptop computer, a smartphone, a tablet computing device,etc., as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Suchcommunications may be enabled by a communications link, such as ahard-wired and/or wireless communications link, for example, via one ormore communications networks.

As referenced above, in some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14 maybe configured to transfer the standardized analyzer spectra 20 tocalibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer 12 when aspectroscopic analyzer 12 changes from a first state to a second state,wherein the second state is a period of time after a change to thespectroscopic analyzer 12 causing a need to recalibrate thespectroscopic analyzer 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, suchchange(s) 40 to the spectroscopic analyzer 12 that might necessitatecalibration or recalibration may include, but are not limited to, forexample, maintenance performed on the spectroscopic analyzer 12,replacement of one or more components of the spectroscopic analyzer 12,cleaning of one or more components of the spectroscopic analyzer 12,re-orienting one or more components of the spectroscopic analyzer 12, achange in path length (e.g., relative to the path length for priorcalibration), or preparing the spectroscopic analyzer 12 for use, forexample, prior to a first use and/or calibration of the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 specific to the materials to which it is intended toanalyze.

In some embodiments, as explained herein, using the standardizedanalyzer spectra 20 to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 when a spectroscopic analyzer 12 changes from a first stateto a second state may result in the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with theanalyzer controller 14 generating analyzed material spectra and/orpredicting corresponding material properties in a manner substantiallyconsistent with a plurality of material properties of the materialoutputted by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller14 in the first state, for example, in a state prior to the change(s) 40to the spectroscopic analyzer 12.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the analyzercontroller 14 may be configured to analyze, via the spectroscopicanalyzer 12, when in the second state, a selected one or moresecond-state portfolio sample(s) 42 to output second-state portfoliosample spectra 44 for the selected one or more second-state portfoliosample(s) 42. In some embodiments, each of the second-state portfoliosample spectra 44 may be associated with a corresponding differentsecond-state portfolio sample 42. The second-state portfolio sample(s)42 may include one or more samples, and the one or more samples mayinclude a pure compound, a mixture of compounds, and/or one or moremulti-component samples. As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, asexplained in more detail herein, the selected one or more second-stateportfolio sample(s) 42 (and/or the number of first-state portfoliosample(s) 23) may include a number of samples significantly lower thanthe number of samples of the plurality of multi-component samples 16.For example, the one or more second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 mayinclude a number of multi-component samples ranging, for example, fromabout 1 sample to about 100 samples, from about 2 samples to about 75samples, from about 3 samples to about 50 samples, from about 4 samplesto about 45 samples, from about 4 samples to about 35 samples, fromabout 4 samples to about 25 samples, from about 5 samples to about 20samples, from about 5 samples to about 15 samples, from about 5 samplesto about 10 samples, from about 5 samples to about 8 samples, from about5 samples to about 7 samples, or from 5 samples to 6 samples. Forexample, in some embodiments, in order to recalibrate the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 after the change(s) 40 toachieve a desired level of accuracy and/or reproducibility, for example,an accuracy and/or reproducibility substantially equal to or better thanthe level of accuracy and/or reproducibility of the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 prior to the change(s) 40,in some embodiments, it may only be necessary to analyze as few as tenor fewer of the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42, as explained inmore detail herein.

In some examples, at least some (e.g., all) of the first-state portfoliosample(s) 23 and respective corresponding second-state portfoliosample(s) 42 are the same or substantially the same. In someembodiments, one or more of the first-state portfolio sample(s) 23and/or one or more of the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 mayinclude a substantially pure compound and/or a blend of substantiallypure compounds. In some examples, at least some of the first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 and the respective second-state portfoliosample(s) 42 may be different from one another. For example, a givenfirst-state portfolio sample 23 and a corresponding second-stateportfolio sample 42 may be manufactured according to a commonspecification, for example, by a different entity and/or at a differenttime (e.g., in a different manufacturing batch), although the intentionmay be for the given first-state portfolio sample 23 and thecorresponding second-state portfolio sample 42 to be the same, forexample, within manufacturing tolerances. For example, the first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 may include Sample A, Sample B, and Sample Cthrough Sample N, and the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 mayinclude respective corresponding Sample A, Sample, B, and Sample Cthrough Sample N. In some embodiments, each of Sample A, Sample B, andSample C through Sample N may be different from one another.

As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, because it may be necessary toonly analyze substantially fewer second-state portfolio sample(s) 42(and/or first-state portfolio sample(s) 23) than the number ofmulticomponent samples 16 to achieve results substantially consistentwith the results achieved prior to the change(s) 40, a second-state timeperiod T₂ during which the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 areanalyzed may be significantly less than the first-state time period T₁,during which the multi-component samples 16 are analyzed. For example,as noted above, in some embodiments, the first-state time period T₁ mayrange, for example, from about 8 hours to about 200 hours, as comparedwith the second-state time period T₂, which may be less than 20 hours(e.g., less than 16 hours, less than 10 hours, less than 8 hours, lessthan 4 hours, or less than 2 hours). For example, the second-state timeperiod T₂, which may generally correspond to a time period during whichthe number of second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 or the first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 are analyzed, may range, for example, from about1 hour to about 20 hours, from about 1 hour to about 17 hours, fromabout 3 hours to about 15 hours, from about 3 hours to about 12 hours,from about 3 hours to about 10 hours, from about 3 hours to about 8hours, from about 3 hours to about 6 hours, or from about 3 hours toabout 5 hours.

Thus, in some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with theanalyzer controller 14 may be configured to be calibrated orrecalibrated to achieve substantially the same accuracy and/orreproducibility of analysis as the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with theanalyzer controller 14 was able to achieve prior to the change(s) 40,while using significantly fewer portfolio samples for recalibration andrequiring significantly less time for recalibration. In someembodiments, the calibrated or recalibrated spectroscopic analyzer 12with the analyzer controller 14, calibrated or recalibrated in such amanner, may be capable of generating substantially the same spectrafollowing recalibration as outputted prior to recalibration, which mayresult in improved accuracy and/or reproducibility. Such accuracy and/orreproducibility may provide the ability to compare analysis resultsoutputted by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller14 before and after the change(s) 40, which may render the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 more useful, for example, when incorporated into amanufacturing process involving the processing of multi-componentmaterials received from material sources, such as material sources 28and 48 shown in FIG. 1A, for example, a petroleum refining-relatedprocess, a pharmaceutical manufacturing process, or other processesinvolving the processing of materials.

As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14also may be configured to compare one or more of the second-stateportfolio sample spectra 44 for the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42to one or more of the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25 of thefirst-state portfolio sample(s) 23. Based at least in part on thecomparison of the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 to thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra 25, the analyzer controller 14further may be configured to determine for one or more of thesecond-state portfolio sample(s) 42 of the second-state portfolio samplespectra 44, a variance for one or more individual wavelengths,wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, and/or over a range of wavelengths,wavenumbers, and/or frequencies between the second-state portfoliosample spectra 44 outputted by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 when in thesecond state and the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25corresponding to the first-state portfolio sample(s) 23 outputted by thespectroscopic analyzer 12 in the first state. For example, in someembodiments, the analyzer controller 14 may be configured to determine adifference in magnitude between the second-state portfolio samplespectra 44 and the respective corresponding first-state portfolio samplespectra 25 for each of the one or more individual wavelengths,wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, and/or for each of a plurality ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies over one or more ranges ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies.

In some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14 may be configured todetermine the variance by determining a variance at individualwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, a plurality of variancesat different individual wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, amean average variance, one or more ratios of variances at respectiveindividual wavelengths, or a combination thereof, for a plurality ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies over a range ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, respectively. In someembodiments, the analyzer controller 14 may be configured to determine arelationship for a plurality of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/orfrequencies over the range of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/orfrequencies, respectively, between the second-state portfolio samplespectra 44 and the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25 (and/ormanipulations thereof, such as, for example, one or more derivatives ofthe second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 and the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25), and the relationship may include one ormore of a ratio, an addition, a subtraction, a multiplication, adivision, one or more derivatives, or an equation.

As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14still further may be configured to reduce the variance between thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra 44 and the first-state portfoliosample spectra 25 (and/or manipulations thereof). For example, theanalyzer controller 14 may be configured to use the previously outputtedstandardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, including the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25, to reduce the variance between thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra 44 and the first-state portfoliosample spectra 25, so that the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with theanalyzer controller 14 is able to output, when in the second statefollowing the change(s) 40, a plurality of signals indicative of aplurality of material properties of an analyzed multi-componentmaterial, such that the plurality of material properties of themulti-component material are substantially consistent with a pluralityof material properties of the multi-component material that were, orwould be, outputted by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14 in the first state prior to the change(s) 40 to thespectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14. For example,as shown in FIG. 1A, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14 may be configured to output portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) 45, which may be used to reduce or substantially eliminatethe variance between the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 andthe first-state portfolio sample spectra 25 (and/or manipulationsthereof), for example, such that the second-state portfolio samplespectra 44 and the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25 areconsistent with one another (e.g., are similar to, substantially match,are substantially equivalent to, or are substantially the same as onanother). In some embodiments, the variance may be or include thevariance between one or more derivatives of (and/or other manipulationsof) the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 and the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25. In some such embodiments, the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 may be configured tothereafter output corrected spectra upon analysis of a portion ofmulti-component materials received from a material processing operation,for example, to assist with control of the material processingoperation, for example, as described herein. In some embodiments, theportfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 may be, or include, arelationship such as a mathematical relationship, for individualwavelengths and/or a plurality of wavelengths over a range ofwavelengths, and the mathematical relationship may include one or moreof a ratio, an addition, a subtraction, a multiplication, a division,one or more derivatives, an equation, or a combination thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, following the change(s) 40 tothe spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 and therecalibration in the second state, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 andanalyzer controller 14 may be used to analyze multi-component materials,for example, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 1A, during a second material time periodT_(P2), a manufacturing process 46 may include a material source 48 formulti-component materials (e.g., fluids, such as gases and/or liquids)of the manufacturing process 46, and a portion of multi-componentmaterial associated with the manufacturing process 46 may be divertedfor analysis by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14. In some embodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 1A,the multi-component material may be conditioned via materialconditioning 50 to provide conditioned material for analysis 52 by thespectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14. In someembodiments, material conditioning 50 may include one or more offiltering particulates and/or fluid contaminants from themulti-component material, controlling the temperature of themulti-component material (e.g., reducing or increasing the temperatureto be within a desired range of temperatures), or controlling thepressure of the multi-component material (e.g., reducing or increasingthe pressure to be within a desired range of pressures for amulti-component gas). In some embodiments, the manufacturing process 46,the material source 48, the material conditioning 50, and/or theconditioned material for analysis 52, may substantially correspond topreviously-discussed manufacturing process 26, material source 28, thematerial conditioning 30, and/or the conditioned material for analysis32. In some embodiments, the manufacturing process 46, the materialsource 48, the material conditioning 50, and/or the conditioned materialfor analysis 52, may be substantially different than thepreviously-discussed manufacturing process 26, material source 28, thematerial conditioning 30, and/or the conditioned material for analysis32.

In some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 and/or thespectroscopic analyzer controller 14 may be configured to analyze, whenin the second state, the multi-component material received from thematerial source 48 and output a material spectrum 47 corresponding tothe multi-component material. As shown in FIG. 1A, the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 also may be configured totransform, for example, using the portfolio sample-based correction(s)45, based at least in part on the standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 24, the material spectrum 47 to output a corrected materialspectrum 54 for the multi-component material and/or corrected materialspectra 56. In some embodiments, the corrected material spectrum 54 mayinclude one or more of an absorption-corrected spectrum, atransmittance-corrected spectrum, a transflectance-corrected spectrum, areflectance-corrected spectrum, or an intensity-corrected spectrum, forexample, and/or a mathematical treatment of the spectrum, such as, forexample, a second derivative of the spectrum. For example, based atleast in part on the corrected material spectrum 54, the analyzercontroller 14 may be configured to output a plurality of signalsindicative of a plurality of material properties of the multi-componentmaterial, and the plurality of material properties may be substantiallyconsistent with (e.g., substantially the same as) a plurality ofmaterial properties of the multi-component material that were (or wouldbe) outputted by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14 in the first state (i.e., prior to the change(s) 40 to thespectroscopic analyzer 12). Thus, in some such embodiments, thecorrected material spectrum 54 may be used as a standardized spectrum,such that the corrected material spectrum 54 has been standardized basedat least in part on the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, sothat the corrected material spectrum 54 is the substantially the samematerial spectrum that would be outputted by the spectroscopic analyzer12 with the analyzer controller 14 prior to the change(s) 40, forexample, during the first state. In some embodiments, the correctedmaterial spectrum 54 may be added to the first-state sample spectra 18and the one or more spectral model(s) 20 may be updated based at leastin part on the first-state sample spectra 18 including the correctedmaterial spectrum 54.

In some embodiments, this may render it possible to directly compare theresults of analysis by the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14 made during the second state with results of an analysismade during the first state. In addition, as noted above, in someembodiments, using the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 tocalibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14 to achieve the standardization may require the analysis ofsignificantly fewer samples (e.g., the second-state portfolio samples44) as compared to the original calibration of the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 and/or analyzer controller 14 during the first state. Thismay also significantly reduce the time required to calibrate orrecalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller14.

Upon analysis of the multi-component materials from the material source48, which may be a feed to a processing unit and/or an output from aprocessing unit, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14, using the corrected material spectrum 54, may establish aplurality of corrected material spectra 56 and, based at least in parton the corrected material spectra 56, predict a plurality of materialproperties associated with the multi-component materials. In someembodiments, the corrected material spectra 56 and the associatedpredicted or determined material properties may be stored in a databaseas predicted (or determined) material data 58. It is contemplated thatadditional material data associated with the multi-component materialsanalyzed may also be included in the database to supplement thepredicted or determined material properties. For example, the databasemay define a library including material data including correlationsbetween the plurality of material spectra and the plurality of differentmaterial sample properties of the corresponding material sample.

In some embodiments, the analysis of the multi-component materials mayoccur during a second material time period T_(P2), as shown in FIG. 1A.As shown in FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, the analyzer controller 14 mayalso be configured to output one or more output signals 38 indicative ofthe multi-component material properties, as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art. The output signal(s) 38 may be used to at leastpartially control a manufacturing process, for example, as describedwith respect to FIGS. 2B, 4, 6A, and 6B (e.g., output signals 38 athrough 38 n). In some examples, at least some of the output signal(s)38 may be communicated to one or more display devices, such as, forexample, a computer monitor and/or portable output devices, such as alaptop computer, a smartphone, a tablet computing device, etc., as willbe understood by those skilled in the art. Such communication may beenabled by a communications link, such as a hard-wired and/or wirelesscommunications link, for example, via one or more communicationsnetworks.

In some embodiments, generating the first-state portfolio sample spectra25 and generating the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 may occurat a common location. For example, the common location may include amanufacturing site, such as a petroleum refining-related processingfacility, a pharmaceutical manufacturing process site, or any otherprocessing sites involving the processing of materials and/or chemicals.In some embodiments, generating the first-state portfolio sample spectra25 and generating the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 may occurat different geographic locations. The first-state portfolio samplespectra 25 and the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44, in someembodiments, may be outputted at a temperature within five degreesFahrenheit of a common temperature. For example, the common temperaturemay be a temperature associated with one or more of an environmentsurrounding the spectroscopic analyzer(s), the first-state portfoliosamples, the second-state portfolio samples, or the spectroscopicanalyzer(s). The common temperature may range, for example, from about50 degrees Fahrenheit to about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, for example, fromabout 60 degrees Fahrenheit to about 175 degrees Fahrenheit, from about60 degrees Fahrenheit to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit, from about 60degrees Fahrenheit to about 125 degrees Fahrenheit, from about 60degrees Fahrenheit to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, from about 60degrees Fahrenheit to about 85 degrees Fahrenheit, from about 60 degreesFahrenheit to about 75 degrees Fahrenheit, or from about 65 degreesFahrenheit to about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In some embodiments, this mayenhance the reproducibility and/or consistency of the results of thematerial analysis during the first state and the second state. In someembodiments, generating the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25 andgenerating the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 may occur atsubstantially equal pressures, for example, if at least a portion of thematerial being analyzed is in the form of a gas (e.g., as compared to aliquid).

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of another spectroscopic analyzer assembly 10including a first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with an associated firstanalyzer controller 14 a, and a second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b withan associated second analyzer controller 14 b. As shown in FIG. 1B, thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a, the associated first analyzercontroller 14 a, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b, and/or theassociated second analyzer controller 14 b may be configured to receiveinputs and output outputs based at least in part on the inputs inrelation to an example timeline according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

The spectroscopic analyzers 12 a and 12 b may be near-infraredspectroscopic analyzers, mid-infrared spectroscopic analyzers, acombination of a near-infrared spectroscopic analyzers and mid-infraredspectroscopic analyzers, or Raman spectroscopic analyzers, as will beunderstood by those skilled in the art. The spectroscopic analyzers 12 aand 12 b may be the same type of spectroscopic analyzer or differenttypes of spectroscopic analyzers (e.g., two NIR spectroscopic analyzershaving different designs, or one spectroscopic analyzer that is an NIRspectroscopic analyzer without multi-plexing capability, and a secondspectroscopic analyzer that is an NIR spectroscopic analyzer withmulti-plexing capability). As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, thespectroscopic analyzer assembly 10 may be used to determine standardizedanalyzer spectra via the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with thefirst analyzer controller 14 a for calibration of the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b by transferring the spectral models to thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with second analyzer controller 14 bfor calibration of the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b when thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b is in a second state, such as aperiod of time after one or more change(s) 40 to the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b causing a need to calibrate (or recalibrate)the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b.

For example, in some embodiments, using the standardized analyzerspectra portfolio 24 may include the use of one or more prior spectralmodel(s) developed on the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a when in thefirst state to standardize spectral responses of the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b after a change to the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b (e.g., an initial setup of the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b or performance of maintenance on the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b), such that, when in the second state, analysis by thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b of a first multi-component materialresults in generation of a second-state spectrum that is consistent witha first-state spectrum outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12a, when in the first state, resulting from analysis of the firstmulti-component material. Thus, in some embodiments, the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a and the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 bwill be capable of generating the substantially same spectrum after anevent causing the need to calibrate (or recalibrate) the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b (e.g., a change to the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b, such as maintenance and/or component replacement). Insome embodiments, this may improve one or more of the accuracy,reproducibility, or consistency of results outputted by the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b after the change in state from the firststate to the second state. For example, the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b may be configuredto analyze a multi-component material and output a plurality of signalsindicative of a plurality material spectra from which a plurality ofmaterial properties of the material may be predicted or determined basedat least in part on a corrected material spectrum, which may bedetermined using portfolio sample-based correction(s), such that theplurality of material properties determined by the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 12 b are substantiallyconsistent with (e.g., substantially the same as) a plurality ofmaterial spectra from which a plurality of material properties may bepredicted or determined by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a withfirst analyzer controller 14 a in the first state. This may result instandardizing the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the secondanalyzer controller 12 b based at least in part on the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 12 a.

Referring to FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzerassembly 10 may be configured to determine and use standardized analyzerspectral responses for calibration of the second spectroscopic analyzer12 b when the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b is in a second state,the second state being defined as a period of time after a change to thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b causing a need to calibrate orrecalibrate the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b. In some embodiments,the second analyzer controller 14 b may be in communication with thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b. For example, the second analyzercontroller 14 b may be physically connected to the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Insome such embodiments, second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b may include ahousing and at least a portion of the second analyzer controller 14 bmay be contained in the housing. In some such embodiments, the secondanalyzer controller 14 b may be in communication with the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b via a hard-wired and/or wirelesscommunications link.

In some embodiments, the second analyzer controller 14 b may bephysically separated from the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b and maybe in communication with the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b via ahard-wired communications link and/or a wireless communications link. Insome embodiments, physical separation may include being spaced from oneanother, but within the same building, within the same facility (e.g.,located at a common manufacturing facility, such as a refinery), orbeing spaced from one another geographically (e.g., anywhere in theworld). In some physically separated embodiments, both the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b and the second analyzer controller 14 b maybe linked to a common communications network, such as a hard-wiredcommunications network and/or a wireless communications network. Suchcommunications links may operate according to any known hard-wiredand/or wireless communications protocols as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art. Although FIG. 1B schematically depicts the firstanalyzer controller 14 a and the second analyzer controller 14 b asbeing separate analyzer controllers, in some embodiments, the first andsecond analyzer controllers 14 a and 14 b may be part of a commonanalyzer controller configured to control one or more of the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a or the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller14 a may be configured to determine standardized analyzer spectra forcalibration of the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b. For example, thefirst analyzer controller 14 a, while in the first state and during afirst-state time period T₁, may be configured to analyze a plurality ofdifferent multi-component samples 16 and, based at least in part on themulti-component samples 16, output first-state sample spectra 18 of thedifferent multi-component samples 16. In some embodiments, each of thefirst-state sample spectra 18 may be collected and stored, for example,in a database. In some embodiments, each of the first-state samplespectra 18 may be associated with a corresponding differentmulti-component sample 16 and may be indicative of a plurality ofdifferent multi-component sample properties. In some embodiments, thefirst-state sample spectra 18, in combination with material data 19associated with each of the multi-component samples 16, may be used tooutput one or more spectral model(s) 20, which, in turn, may be used tocalibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzercontroller 14 a, resulting in an analyzer calibration 22. The materialdata 19 may include any data related to one or more propertiesassociated with one or more of the respective multi-component samples16. In some embodiments, the multi-component samples 16 may be providedfrom (or supplemented by) one or more of the material source 28, theconditioned material for analysis 32, the material source 48, or theconditioned material for analysis. The one or more spectral model(s) 20may be indicative of relationships between a spectrum or spectra of thefirst-state sample spectra 18 and one or more properties associated withone or more of respective multi-component samples 16, and therelationships may be used to provide the analyzer calibration 22. Asnoted previously herein, in some embodiments, as will be understood bythose skilled in the art, the one or more spectral model(s) 20 mayrepresent a univariate or multivariate regression (e.g., a least-squaresregression, a multiple linear regression (MLR), a partial least squaresregression (PLS), a principal component regression (PCR)), such as aregression of material data (e.g., one or more properties of themulti-component sample) against a corresponding spectrum of thefirst-state sample spectra 18. In some embodiments, the one or morespectral model(s) 20 may represent topological modeling by use ofnearest neighbor positioning to calculate properties, based on thematerial data (e.g., one or more properties of the multi-componentsample) against a corresponding spectrum of the first-state samplespectra 18, as also will be understood by those skilled in the art. Thismay facilitate prediction of one or more properties of a materialanalyzed by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a, once calibrated,based at least in part on a spectrum associated with the material.

In some embodiments, the plurality of different multi-component samples16 may include a number of multi-component samples ranging, for example,from about 10 samples to about 2,500 samples, from about 50 samples toabout 2,000 samples, from about 75 samples to about 1,500 samples, fromabout 100 samples to about 1,000 samples, from about 100 samples toabout 900 samples, from about 100 samples to about 800 samples, fromabout 100 samples to about 700 samples, from about 100 samples to about600 samples, from about 100 samples to about 500 samples, from about 100samples to about 400 samples, from about 200 samples to about 900samples, from about 300 samples to about 800 samples, from about 400samples to about 700 samples, from about 500 samples to about 600samples, or from about 450 samples to about 650 samples. For example, insome embodiments, in order to calibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a to a desired level ofaccuracy and/or reproducibility, it may be necessary to analyze hundredsor thousands of multi-component samples 16, as will be understood bythose skilled in the art. Due to the relatively large number ofmulti-component samples 16 used for calibration, the first-state timeperiod T₁, which may generally correspond to a time period during whichthe number of multi-component samples 16 analyzed, may range, forexample, from about 10 samples to about 2,500 samples, from about 50samples to about 2,000 samples, from about 75 samples to about 1,500samples, from about 20 hours to about 150 hours, from about 20 hours toabout 130 hours, from about 20 hours to about 110 hours, from about 20hours to about 90 hours, from about 20 hours to about 70 hours, fromabout 20 hours to about 50 hours, from about 20 hours to about 40 hours,from about 30 hours to about 150 hours, from about 40 hours to about 130hours, from about 40 hours to about 110 hours, or from about 50 hours toabout 90 hours. For example, in some embodiments, in order to calibratethe first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller14 a to a desired level of accuracy and/or reproducibility, due to therelatively large numbers of samples analyzed, the first-state timeperiod T₁ may take dozens of hours to complete.

Following calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with thefirst analyzer controller 14 a, the spectral responses of the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a maybe standardized, for example, by analyzing one or more first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 to output a standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 24 including one or more first-state portfolio sample spectra25. For example, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the firstanalyzer controller 14 a, when in the first state, may be used toanalyze one or more first-state portfolio sample(s) 23 to output arespective first-state portfolio spectrum 25. In some embodiments, therespective first-state portfolio sample spectrum 25 associated with arespective first-state portfolio sample 23 may be stored to develop thestandardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, which may be used to reducea variance between a second-state portfolio sample spectrum (outputtedduring a second state) and a corresponding first-state portfolio samplespectrum 25 of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, forexample, as described herein.

As shown in FIG. 1B, following calibration and/or standardization of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14a, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzercontroller 14 a may be used to analyze multi-component materials topredict (or determine) properties of the analyzed multi-componentmaterials, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Forexample, in some embodiments, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a withthe first analyzer controller 14 a may be used as part of amanufacturing process, for example, as described herein with respect toFIGS. 2A, 2B, 4, 6A, and 6B. For example, the first spectroscopicanalyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a may be used toanalyze multi-component materials, and the corresponding materialproperties predicted (or determined) from the analyses may be used toassist with at least partial control of the manufacturing process orprocesses.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, a manufacturing process 26 may includea material source 28 for multi-component material (e.g., fluids, such asgases and/or liquids) of the manufacturing process 26, and a portion ofmulti-component material associated with the manufacturing process 26may be diverted for analysis by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 awith the first analyzer controller 14 a. In some embodiments, it may notbe necessary to divert a portion of the multi-component material to beanalyzed. Rather, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the firstanalyzer controller 14 a may include a probe or similar structure incontact with and/or extending into a flow of the multi-componentmaterial to analyze a portion of the multi-component material. In someembodiments, for example, as shown in FIG. 1B, the multi-componentmaterial may be conditioned via material conditioning 30 to outputconditioned material for analysis 32 by the first spectroscopic analyzer12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a. In some embodiments,material conditioning 30 may include one or more of filteringparticulates and/or fluid contaminants from the multi-componentmaterial, controlling the temperature of the multi-component material(e.g., reducing or increasing the temperature to be within a desiredrange of temperatures), or controlling the pressure of themulti-component material (e.g., reducing or increasing the pressure tobe within a desired range of pressures when the multi-component materialincludes a gas).

Upon analysis of the multi-component materials from the material source28, which may be a feed to a processing unit and/or an output from aprocessing unit, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the analyzercontroller 14 a, using the analyzer calibration 22, may output aplurality of material spectra 34 and, based at least in part on thematerial spectra 34, predict a plurality of material propertiesassociated with the multi-component materials. In some embodiments, thematerial spectra 34 and the associated predicted or determined materialproperties may be stored in a database as predicted (or determined)material data 36. It is contemplated that additional material dataassociated with the multi-component materials analyzed may also beincluded in the database to supplement the predicted or determinedmaterial properties. For example, the database may define a libraryincluding material data and/or including correlations between theplurality of material spectra and the plurality of different materialsample properties of the corresponding material.

In some embodiments, the analysis of the multi-component materials mayoccur during a first material time period T_(P1), as shown in FIG. 1B.As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller14 a may also be configured to output one or more output signals 38indicative of the multi-component material properties. The outputsignal(s) 38 may be used to at least partially control a manufacturingprocess, for example, as described with respect to FIGS. 2B, 4, 6A, and6B (e.g., output signals 38 a through 38 n). In some examples, at leastsome of the output signal(s) 38 may be communicated to one or moredisplay devices, such as, for example, a computer monitor and/orportable output devices, such as a laptop computer, a smartphone, atablet computing device, etc., as will be understood by those skilled inthe art. Such communication may be enabled by a communications link,such as a hard-wired and/or wireless communications link, for example,via one or more communications networks.

As referenced above, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller14 a may be configured to use the first-state portfolio sample spectra25 of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24 to calibrate orrecalibrate the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b when in the secondstate, which is a period of time after a change to the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b causing a need to calibrate or recalibratethe second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b. For example, as shown in FIG.1B, such change(s) 40 to the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b thatmight necessitate recalibration may include, but are not limited to, forexample, an initial set-up of the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b,maintenance performed on the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b,replacement of one or more components of the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b, cleaning of one or more components of the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b, re-orienting one or more components of thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b, a change in path length (e.g.,relative to the path length for prior calibration), or preparing thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b for use, for example, prior to afirst use and/or calibration of the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 bspecific to the materials to which it is intended to analyze.

In some embodiments, as explained herein, using the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25 to calibrate or recalibrate the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b may result in the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b generatinganalyzed material spectra and/or predicting corresponding materialproperties in a manner substantially consistent with a plurality ofmaterial properties outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 awith the first analyzer controller 14 a in the first state.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the secondanalyzer controller 14 b may be configured to analyze, via the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b, when in the second state, a selected one ormore second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 to output second-stateportfolio sample spectra 44 for the selected one or more second-stateportfolio sample(s) 42. In some embodiments, each of the second-stateportfolio sample spectra 44 may be associated with a correspondingsecond-state portfolio sample 42. As shown in FIG. 1B, in someembodiments, as explained in more detail herein, the selected one ormore second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 (and/or the first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23) may include a number of samples significantlylower than the number of samples of the plurality of multi-componentsamples 16. For example, the one or more second-state portfoliosample(s) 42 may include a number of (one or more) pure compounds and/ormulti-component samples ranging, for example, from about 1 sample toabout 100 samples, from about 2 samples to about 75 samples, from about3 samples to about 50 samples, from about 4 samples to about 45 samples,from about 4 samples to about 35 samples, from about 4 samples to about25 samples, from about 5 samples to about 20 samples, from about 5samples to about 15 samples, from about 5 samples to about 10 samples,from about 5 samples to about 8 samples, from about 5 samples to about 7samples, or from 5 samples to 6 samples. For example, in someembodiments, in order to calibrate or recalibrate the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 bafter the change(s) 40 to achieve a desired level of accuracy and/orreproducibility, for example, an accuracy and/or reproducibilitysubstantially consistent with or better than the level of accuracyand/or reproducibility of the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with thefirst analyzer controller 14 a prior to the change(s) 40, in someembodiments, it may only be necessary to analyze as few as ten or fewerof the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42, as explained in more detailherein.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, because it may be necessary toonly analyze substantially fewer second-state portfolio sample(s) 42(and/or first-state portfolio sample(s) 23) to achieve resultssubstantially consistent with the results achieved prior to thechange(s) 40, a second-state time period T₂ during which thesecond-state portfolio sample(s) 42 are analyzed may be significantlyless than the first-state time period T₁. For example, as noted above,in some embodiments, the first-state time period T₁ may exceed 100hours, as compared with the second-state time period T₂, which may beless than 20 hours (e.g., less than 16 hours, less than 10 hours, lessthan 8 hours, less than 4 hours, or less than 2 hours). For example, thesecond-state time period T₂, which may generally correspond to the timeperiod during which the number of second-state portfolio sample(s) 42are analyzed, may range, for example, from less than about 1 hour, formless than about 2 hours, from less than about 3 hours, from about 3hours to about 20 hours, from about 3 hours to about 17 hours, fromabout 3 hours to about 15 hours, from about 3 hours to about 12 hours,from about 3 hours to about 10 hours, from about 3 hours to about 8hours, from about 3 hours to about 6 hours, or from about 3 hours toabout 5 hours.

In some examples, at least some (e.g., all) of the first-state portfoliosample(s) 23 and respective corresponding second-state portfoliosample(s) 42 are the same or substantially the same. In someembodiments, one or more of the first-state portfolio sample(s) 23and/or one or more of the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 mayinclude a substantially pure compound and/or a blend of substantiallypure compounds. In some examples, at least some of the first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 and the respective second-state portfoliosample(s) 42 may be different from one another. For example, a givenfirst-state portfolio sample 23 and a corresponding second-stateportfolio sample 42 may be manufactured according to a commonspecification, for example, by a different entity and/or at a differenttime (e.g., in a different manufacturing batch), although the intentionmay be for the given first-state portfolio sample 23 and thecorresponding second-state portfolio sample 42 to be the same, forexample, within manufacturing tolerances. For example, the first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 may include Sample A, Sample B, and Sample Cthrough Sample N, and the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42 mayinclude respective corresponding Sample A, Sample, B, and Sample Cthrough Sample N. In some embodiments, each of Sample A, Sample B, andSample C through Sample N may be different from one another.

Thus, in some embodiments, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b withthe second analyzer controller 14 b may be configured to be calibratedor recalibrated to achieve substantially the same accuracy and/orreproducibility of analysis as the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 awith first analyzer controller 14 a, while using significantly fewersamples for the calibration or recalibration to calibrate or recalibratethe second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzercontroller 14 b as compared to the number of multi-component samples 16analyzed to calibrate or recalibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer 12a with the first analyzer controller 14 a, thus also requiringsignificantly less time for calibration or recalibration. In someembodiments, the calibrated or recalibrated second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b, calibrated orrecalibrated in such a manner, may be capable of generatingsubstantially the same spectra following calibration or recalibration aswas (or would be) outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 awith the first analyzer controller 14 a, which may result in improvedaccuracy and/or reproducibility by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12b. Such accuracy and/or reproducibility may provide the ability todirectly compare analysis results outputted by either the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a or the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b,which may result in the first and second spectroscopic analyzers 12 aand 12 b being relatively more useful, for example, when incorporatedinto a manufacturing process involving the processing of multi-componentmaterials received from material sources, such as material sources 28and 48 shown in FIG. 1A, for example, a petroleum refining-relatedprocess, a pharmaceutical manufacturing process, or other processesinvolving the processing of materials.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the second analyzer controller14 b also may be configured to compare one or more of the second-stateportfolio sample spectra 44 for the second-state portfolio sample(s) 42to the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25 of the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio 24. Based at least in part on the comparisonof the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 to the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25, the second analyzer controller 14 b furthermay be configured to determine, for one or more of the second-stateportfolio sample(s) 42 of the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44,a variance over a range of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequenciesbetween the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 outputted by thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b and the first-state portfolio samplespectra 25 corresponding to the first-state portfolio sample(s) 23outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a. For example, in someembodiments, the second analyzer controller 14 b may be configured todetermine a difference in magnitude between the second-state portfoliosample spectra 44 and the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25 foreach of a plurality of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies overone or more ranges of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies,respectively.

In some embodiments, the second analyzer controller 14 b may beconfigured to determine the variance by determining a variance at anindividual wavelength, wavenumber, and/or frequency, a plurality ofvariances at different individual wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/orfrequencies, a mean average variance, one or more ratios of variances atrespective individual wavelengths, or a combination thereof, for aplurality of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies over a rangeof wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, respectively. In someembodiments, the second analyzer controller 14 b may be configured todetermine a relationship for a plurality of wavelengths, wavenumbers,and/or frequencies over the range of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/orfrequencies, respectively, between the second-state portfolio samplespectra 44 and the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25, and therelationship may include one or more of a ratio, an addition, asubtraction, a multiplication, a division, one or more derivatives, oran equation.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the second analyzer controller14 b still further may be configured to reduce the variance between thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra 44 and the first-state portfoliosample spectra 25. For example, the second analyzer controller 14 b maybe configured to use the previously outputted standardized analyzerspectra portfolio 24 and second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 toproduce a portfolio sample-based correction 45 to reduce the variancebetween the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 and the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25, so that the second spectroscopic analyzer12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b is able to output, when inthe second state following the change(s) 40, a plurality of signalsindicative of a plurality of material properties of an analyzedmulti-component material, such that the plurality of material propertiesof the multi-component material are substantially consistent with aplurality of material properties of the multi-component material thatwere, or would be, outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 awith the first analyzer controller 14 a. For example, as shown in FIG.1B, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzercontroller 14 b may be configured to output a portfolio sample-basedcorrection 45, which may be used to reduce or substantially eliminatethe variance between the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 andthe first-state portfolio sample spectra 25. In some embodiments, thevariance may be or include the variance between one or more derivativesof (and/or other manipulations of) the second-state portfolio samplespectra 44 and the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25. In someembodiments, the portfolio sample-based correction 45 may be, orinclude, a relationship such as a mathematical relationship, for anindividual wavelength and/or a plurality of wavelengths over a range ofwavelengths, and the mathematical relationship may include one or moreof a ratio, an addition, a subtraction, a multiplication, a division,one or more derivatives, an equation, or a combination thereof.

As shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, following the change(s) 40 tothe second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzercontroller 14 b and the calibration or recalibration in the secondstate, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b and second analyzercontroller 14 b may be used to analyze multi-component materials. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 1B, during a second material time periodT_(P2), a manufacturing process 46 may include a material source 48 formulti-component materials (e.g., fluids, such as gases and/or liquids)of the manufacturing process 46, and a portion of multi-componentmaterial associated with the manufacturing process 46 may be divertedfor analysis by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the secondanalyzer controller 14 b. In some embodiments, for example, as shown inFIG. 1B, the multi-component material may be conditioned via materialconditioning 50 to provide conditioned material for analysis 52 by thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller14 b. In some embodiments, material conditioning 50 may include one ormore of filtering particulates and/or fluid contaminants from themulti-component material, controlling the temperature of themulti-component material (e.g., reducing or increasing the temperatureto be within a desired range of temperatures), or controlling thepressure of the multi-component material (e.g., reducing or increasingthe pressure to be within a desired range of pressures). In someembodiments, the manufacturing process 46, the material source 48, thematerial conditioning 50, and/or the conditioned material for analysis52, may substantially correspond to the previously-discussedmanufacturing process 26, material source 28, material conditioning 30,and/or the conditioned material for analysis 32. In some embodiments,the manufacturing process 46, the material source 48, the materialconditioning 50, and/or the conditioned material for analysis 52, may besubstantially different than the previously-discussed manufacturingprocess 26, the material source 28, the material conditioning 30, and/orthe conditioned material for analysis 32.

In some embodiments, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with thesecond analyzer controller 14 b may be configured to analyze, when inthe second state, the multi-component material received from thematerial source 48 and output a material spectrum 47 corresponding tothe multi-component material received from the material source 48. Asshown in FIG. 1B, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the secondspectroscopic analyzer controller 14 b also may be configured totransform, based at least in part on the standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 24 (e.g., based at least in part on the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) 45), the material spectrum 47 to output a correctedmaterial spectrum 54 for the multi-component material. In someembodiments, the corrected material spectrum 54 may include one or moreof an absorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum,a transflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum,or an intensity-corrected spectrum, for example, and/or a mathematicaltreatment of the spectrum, such as, for example, one or more derivativesof the spectrum, such as, for example, a second derivative of thespectrum. For example, based at least in part on the corrected materialspectrum 54, the second analyzer controller 14 b may be configured tooutput a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of materialproperties of the multi-component material, and the plurality ofmaterial properties may be substantially consistent with (e.g.,substantially the same as) a plurality of material properties of themulti-component material that were (or would be) outputted by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a inthe first state (i.e., prior to the change(s) 40 to the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b that necessitated calibrating orrecalibrating the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b). Thus, in somesuch embodiments, the corrected material spectrum 54 may be used as astandardized spectrum, such that the corrected material spectrum 54 hasbeen standardized based at least in part on the standardized analyzerspectra portfolio 24, so that the corrected material spectrum 54 is thesubstantially the same material spectrum that would be outputted by thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14a during the first state.

In some embodiments, this may render it possible to directly compare theresults of analysis by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with thesecond analyzer controller 14 b made during the second state withresults of analysis by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with thefirst analyzer controller 14 a made during the first state. In addition,as noted above, in some embodiments, using the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) 45 to calibrate or recalibrate the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b to achieve thestandardization may require the analysis of significantly fewer samples(e.g., the second-state portfolio samples 44) as compared to theoriginal calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with firstanalyzer controller 14 a during the first state. This may alsosignificantly reduce the time required to calibrate or recalibrate thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with second the analyzer controller14 b.

Upon analysis of the multi-component materials from the material source48, which may be a feed to a processing unit and/or an output from aprocessing unit, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the secondanalyzer controller 14 b, using the corrected material spectrum 54, mayestablish a plurality of corrected material spectra 56 and, based atleast in part on the corrected material spectra 56, predict a pluralityof material properties associated with the multi-component materials. Insome embodiments, the corrected material spectra 56 and the associatedpredicted or determined material properties may be stored in a databaseas predicted (or determined) material data 58. It is contemplated thatadditional material data associated with the multi-component materialsanalyzed may also be included in the database to supplement thepredicted or determined material properties. For example, the databasemay define a library including material data and/or includingcorrelations between the plurality of material spectra and the pluralityof different material sample properties of the corresponding materialsample.

In some embodiments, the analysis of the multi-component materials mayoccur during a second material time period T_(P2), as shown in FIG. 1B.As shown, in some embodiments, the second analyzer controller 14 b mayalso be configured to output one or more output signals 38 indicative ofthe multi-component material properties. The output signal(s) 38 may beused to at least partially control a manufacturing process, for example,as described with respect to FIGS. 2B, 4, 6A, and 6B (e.g., outputsignals 38 a through 38 n). In some examples, at least some of theoutput signal(s) 38 may be communicated to one or more display devices,such as, for example, a computer monitor and/or portable output devices,such as a laptop computer, a smartphone, a tablet computing device,etc., as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Suchcommunication may be enabled by a communications link, such as ahard-wired and/or wireless communications link, for example, via one ormore communications networks. In some examples, the one or more outputsignal(s) 38 may be used to one or more of determine, verify, orcharacterize one or more components of the material analyzed by thespectroscopic analyzer with analyzer controller.

In some embodiments, generating the first-state portfolio sample spectra25 using the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a and generating thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra 44 using the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b may occur at a common location. For example, the commonlocation may include a manufacturing site, such as a petroleumrefining-related processing facility, a pharmaceutical manufacturingprocess site, or any other processing sites involving the processing ofmaterials and/or chemicals. In some embodiments, generating thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra 25 and generating the second-stateportfolio sample spectra 44 may occur at different geographic locations.The first-state portfolio sample spectra 25 and the second-stateportfolio sample spectra 44, in some embodiments, may be outputted at atemperature within five degrees Fahrenheit of a common temperature. Forexample, the common temperature may be ambient temperature, and theambient temperature may range, for example, from about 65 degreesFahrenheit to about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. For example, in someembodiments, the temperature in the vicinity of the spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b may be controlled, and/or the temperature of the samplebeing analyzed may be controlled, and the temperature of the sample maybe varied depending, at least in part, on, for example, the materialcontent of the sample. This may enhance the reproducibility and/orconsistency of the results of material analyses using the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a and the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b.In some embodiments, generating the first-state portfolio sample spectra25 and generating the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 may occurat substantially equal pressures, for example if at least a portion ofthe material being analyzed is in the form of a gas.

In some embodiments, the corrected material spectrum 54 may be added tothe first-state sample spectra 18, and the one or more spectral model(s)20 may be updated based at least in part on the first-state samplespectra 18 including the corrected material spectrum 54. In someembodiments, the corrected material spectrum 54 may be output by thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller14 b, the corrected material spectrum 54 output by the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b maybe added to the first-state sample spectra 18, and the one or morespectral model(s) 20 may be updated based at least in part on thefirst-state sample spectra 18 including the corrected material spectrum54 output by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the secondanalyzer controller 14 b.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of another spectroscopic analyzer assembly 10including a first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a and a first analyzercontroller 14 a for standardizing a second spectroscopic analyzer 12 band a second analyzer controller 14 b showing example inputs and exampleoutputs in relation to an example timeline according to embodiments ofthe disclosure. In the example shown in FIG. 1C, the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b and second spectroscopic analyzer controller14 b are a non-standardized spectroscopic analyzer and anon-standardized analyzer controller. In some such examples, the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a maybe used in a manner substantially similar to the spectroscopic analyzerassembly 10 and related processes described previously herein withrespect to FIG. 1B. For example, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 aand the first analyzer controller 14 a may be used to develop ordetermine spectral responses for calibration and standardization of thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b and the second analyzer controller 14b, for example, so that the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with thesecond analyzer controller 14 b may be configured to transform, based atleast in part on a standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, amaterial spectrum of a multi-component material being analyzed by thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b to output a corrected materialspectrum 54 for the multi-component material. In some embodiments, thecorrected material spectrum 54 may include one or more of anabsorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum, for example, and/or a mathematicaltreatment of the material spectrum 47, such as, for example, one or morederivatives of the material spectrum 47, such as, for example, a secondderivative of the material spectrum 47. For example, based at least inpart on the corrected material spectrum 54, the second analyzercontroller 14 b may be configured to output a plurality of signalsindicative of a plurality of material properties of the analyzedmulti-component material, and the plurality of material properties maybe substantially consistent with (e.g., substantially the same as) aplurality of material properties of the multi-component material thatwere (or would be) outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 awith the first analyzer controller 14 a in the first state. Thus, insome such embodiments, the corrected material spectrum 54 may be used asa standardized spectrum, such that the corrected material spectrum 54has been standardized based at least in part on the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio 24, so that the corrected material spectrum54 is the substantially the same material spectrum that would beoutputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the firstanalyzer controller 14 a during the first state.

FIG. 1D is a block diagram of the example spectroscopic analyzerassembly 10 shown in FIG. 1A including an example analyzer controller 14configured to output example gain altering signal(s) 60 for analyzersource(s), analyzer detector(s), and/or detector response(s) forchanging gain, according to embodiments of the disclosure. For example,in some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 may include one ormore detectors, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, andtransforming the material spectrum 47 to output the corrected materialspectrum 54 for a multi-component material being analyzed by thespectroscopic analyzer 12 may include altering a gain associated withone or more of the one or more detectors or a detector responseassociated with one or more of the wavelengths, wavenumbers, orfrequencies of the material spectrum 47.

Referring to FIG. 1E, in some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzer 12may include one or more analyzer sources, such as electromagneticradiation emitters and/or lasers (e.g., lamps, such as tungsten-halogenlamps), for transmitting electromagnetic radiation into a materialsample being analyzed, as will be understood by those skilled in theart. In some such embodiments, the gain altering signal(s) 60 may causea change in the energy input to the analyzer source(s) to increase ordecrease the output signals of the spectroscopic analyzer 12, forexample, by altering the voltage, current, and/or resistance associatedwith the analyzer source(s) to achieve a desired source intensity. Insome embodiments, transforming the material spectra 47 to output thecorrected material spectrum 54 (or corrected material spectra 56) for amulti-component material being analyzed by the spectroscopic analyzer 12may include altering a gain associated with the energy input to theanalyzer source(s) associated with one or more of the wavelengths,wavenumbers, or frequencies of the material spectra 47, thereby causingthe material spectra 47 to be output as the corrected material spectra56. For example, the voltage and/or current input to the analyzersource(s) may be changed based at least in part on the gain alteringsignal(s) 60. Although the material spectra 47 and the correctedmaterial spectra 56 are shown in FIG. 1E as separate outputs, in someembodiments, the corrected material spectra 56 may be output withoutnecessarily outputting the material spectra 47, based at least in parton the gain altering signal(s) 60, which, in turn, may be based at leastin part on the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45. In this examplemanner, the gain of the spectroscopic analyzer 12 may be changed by thegain altering signal(s) 60, such that the spectroscopic analyzer 12 mayoutput the corrected material spectra 56 instead of outputting thematerial spectra 47 and thereafter changing (or correcting) the materialspectra 47 to achieve the corrected material spectra 56, for example, asdescribed herein with respect to FIG. 1D.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 1D, the analyzer controller 14,based at least in part on the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45,may be configured to output one or more gain signals 60 for controllingone or more analyzer source(s), analyzer detectors, and/or detectorresponses, such that the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzercontroller 14, when analyzing a multi-component material, outputs acorrected material spectrum or spectra that is standardized according tothe portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 to the standardized analyzerspectra portfolio 24. Thus, in some embodiments, rather than generatinga material spectrum when analyzing a multi-component material, andthereafter correcting the material spectrum 47 based at least in part onthe variance to output a corrected material spectrum 54, thespectroscopic analyzer 12 with the analyzer controller 14 may beconfigured to output a corrected material spectrum 54 based on adjustingthe gain, for example, without prior generation of a material spectrum,which is thereafter corrected. Rather, in some embodiments, based atleast in part on the variance, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 with theanalyzer controller 14 may be configured to adjust the gain, so that thespectroscopic analyzer 12 and/or analyzer controller 14 output(s) acorrected material spectrum 56 that reduces or substantially eliminatesthe variance.

In some embodiments, altering the gain associated with the one or moreof the one or more analyzer sources, detectors, or the detectorresponses may include altering the gain associated with one or moreranges of wavelengths, ranges of wavenumbers, and/or ranges offrequencies. In some embodiments, altering the gain associated with theone or more of the one or more analyzer sources, detectors, or thedetector responses may include applying a mathematically-derivedcorrection to the gain associated with one or more of one or more of thewavelengths, one or more ranges of wavelengths, or the materialspectrum. In some embodiments, altering the gain associated with the oneor more of the one or more analyzer sources, detectors, or the detectorresponses may include applying a mathematically-derived correction tothe gain associated with one or more of one or more wavenumbers, one ormore frequencies, ranges of wavenumbers, or ranges of frequencies.Applying the mathematically-derived correction may include altering thegain by one or more of a defined average over a range of wavelengths,determined differences at one or more of the wavelengths, or a ratio forone or more of the wavelengths. Similarly, in some embodiments, this maybe applied to wavenumbers and/or frequencies.

In some embodiments, this may render it possible to directly compare theresults of analysis by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with thesecond analyzer controller 14 b with results of analysis by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a madeduring the first state. In addition, as noted above, in someembodiments, using the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 tocalibrate or recalibrate the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with thesecond analyzer controller 14 b to achieve the standardization mayrequire the analysis of significantly fewer samples as compared to thenumber of multi-component samples 16 used to initially calibrate thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with first analyzer controller 14 aduring the first state. This may also significantly reduce the timerequired to calibrate or recalibrate the second spectroscopic analyzer12 b with second the analyzer controller 14 b.

FIG. 1F is a block diagram of the example spectroscopic analyzerassembly 10 shown in FIG. 1B including an example second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b and a second analyzer controller 14 b configured to outputexample gain signal(s) 60 for analyzer source(s), analyzer detector(s),and/or detector response(s) according to embodiments of the disclosure.In some embodiments, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b may includeone or more detectors, as will be understood by those skilled in theart, and transforming the material spectrum 47 to output the correctedmaterial spectrum 54 for a multi-component material being analyzed bythe second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b includes altering a gainassociated with one or more of the one or more analyzer sources,detectors, or a detector responses associated with one or more of thewavelengths, wavenumbers, or frequencies of the material spectrum 47.

Similar to the example embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, in some embodiments,the spectroscopic analyzer assembly 10 may be used to determinestandardized analyzer spectra via the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 awith the first analyzer controller 14 a for calibration (orrecalibration) of the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b by using thestandardized analyzer spectral responses to calibrate the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b with second analyzer controller 14 b, forexample, at a period of time after one or more change(s) 40 to thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b causing a need to calibrate (orrecalibrate) the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b.

For example, in some embodiments, using the standardized analyzerspectra may include the use of a prior spectral model developed on thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a when in the first state to standardizespectral responses of the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b after achange to the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b, such that, when in thesecond state, analysis by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b of afirst multi-component material results in generation of a second-statespectrum that is consistent with a first-state spectrum outputted by thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a, when in the first state, resultingfrom analysis of the first multi-component material. Thus, in someembodiments, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a and the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b will be capable of generating thesubstantially same spectrum after an event causing the need to calibrate(or recalibrate) the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b (e.g., such as achange to the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b, such as maintenanceand/or component replacement). In some embodiments, this may improve oneor more of the accuracy, reproducibility, or consistency of resultsoutputted by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b after applying theportfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 to the material spectrum 47. Forexample, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzercontroller 14 b may be configured to analyze a multi-component materialand output plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of materialproperties of the material based at least in part on a second-statecorrected material spectrum or portfolio sample-based correction 45,such that the plurality of material properties of the materialdetermined by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the secondanalyzer controller 12 b are substantially consistent with (e.g.,substantially the same as) a plurality of material properties outputtedby the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with first analyzer controller14 a in the first state, for example, prior to calibrating orrecalibrating the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b. This may result instandardizing the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the secondanalyzer controller 14 b based at least in part on the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a.

As shown in FIG. 1F, similar to the example embodiment shown in FIG. 1D,the second analyzer controller 14 b, based at least on part on theportfolio sample-based correction 45, may be configured to output one ormore detector gain signals 60 for controlling one or more analyzerdetectors and/or detector responses, such that the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b, when analyzing amulti-component material, outputs a corrected material spectrum orspectra that is standardized according to the standardized analyzerspectra portfolio 24. Thus, in some embodiments, rather than generatinga material spectrum 47 when analyzing a multi-component material, andthereafter correcting the material spectrum 47 based at least in part onthe variance and the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 to output acorrected material spectrum 54, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 band/or the second analyzer controller 14 b may be configured to output acorrected material spectrum 54 by adjusting the gain, for example,without prior generation of a material spectrum, which is thereaftercorrected. Rather, in some embodiments, based at least in part on thevariance, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the secondanalyzer controller 14 b may be configured to adjust the gain associatedwith the analyzer sources, detectors, and/or detector responses, so thatthe second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with second analyzer controller14 b output a corrected material spectrum 56 that reduces orsubstantially eliminates the variance. In some embodiments consistentwith FIG. 1F, the spectroscopic analyzer 12 b may include one or moreanalyzer sources, such as electromagnetic radiation emitters and/orlasers, for transmitting electromagnetic radiation into a materialsample being analyzed, as will be understood by those skilled in theart. In some such embodiments, the gain altering signal(s) 60 may causea change in the energy input to the analyzer source(s) to increase ordecrease the output signals of the spectroscopic analyzer 12 b. Forexample, in some embodiments, in a manner at least similar to theembodiment shown in FIG. 1E, the gain of the spectroscopic analyzer 12 bmay be changed by the gain altering signal(s) 60, such that thespectroscopic analyzer 12 b may output the corrected material spectra 56instead of outputting the material spectra 47 and thereafter changing(or correcting) the material spectra 47 to achieve the correctedmaterial spectra 56.

In some embodiments, altering the gain associated with the one or moreof the one or more detectors or the detector response may includealtering the gain associated with one or more ranges of wavelengths,ranges of wavenumbers, and/or ranges of frequencies. In someembodiments, altering the gain associated with the one or more of theone or more analyzer sources, detectors, or the detector responses mayinclude applying a mathematically-derived correction to the gainassociated with one or more of one or more of the wavelengths, one ormore ranges of wavelengths, or the material spectrum. In someembodiments, altering the gain associated with the one or more of theone or more analyzer sources, detectors, or the detector responses mayinclude applying a mathematically-derived correction to the gainassociated with one or more of one or more wavenumbers, one or morefrequencies, ranges of wavenumbers, or ranges of frequencies. Applyingthe mathematically-derived correction may include altering the gain byone or more of a defined average over a range of wavelengths, determineddifferences at one or more of the wavelengths, or a ratio for one ormore of the wavelengths. Similarly, in some embodiments, this may beapplied to the wavenumbers and/or the frequencies.

In some embodiments, this may result in it being possible to directlycompare the results of analysis by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12b with the second analyzer controller 14 b with results of analysis bythe first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller14 a made during the first state. In addition, as noted above, in someembodiments, using the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 tocalibrate or recalibrate the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with thesecond analyzer controller 14 b to achieve the standardization mayrequire the analysis of significantly fewer samples (e.g., thesecond-state portfolio samples 44) as compared to the originalcalibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with first analyzercontroller 14 a during the first state. This may also significantlyreduce the time required to calibrate or recalibrate the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b.

FIG. 1G is a block diagram of the example spectroscopic analyzerassembly 10 shown in FIG. 1C including a second spectroscopic analyzer12 b and a second analyzer controller 14 b configured to output examplegain signal(s) 60 for analyzer source(s), analyzer detector(s), and/ordetector response(s) according to embodiments of the disclosure. In theexample shown in FIG. 1G, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b andsecond analyzer controller 14 b are a non-standardized spectroscopicanalyzer and a non-standardized analyzer controller. In some suchexamples, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzercontroller 14 a may be used in a manner substantially similar to thespectroscopic analyzer assembly 10 and related processes describedpreviously herein with respect to FIG. 1F. For example, the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a and the first analyzer controller 14 a maybe used to determine one or more spectral models and/or a standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio for calibration and standardization of thesecond spectroscopic analyzer 12 b and the second spectroscopic analyzercontroller 14 b, for example, so that the second spectroscopic analyzer12 b with the second spectroscopic analyzer controller 14 b may beconfigured to transform, based at least in part on the portfoliosample-based correction(s) 45 to the standardized analyzer spectraportfolio, a material spectrum 47 of a multi-component material beinganalyzed by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b to output a correctedmaterial spectrum 54 for the multi-component material. In someembodiments, this may result in the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 bwith the second analyzer controller 14 b outputting spectral responsesconsistent with spectral responses that would be output by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a(e.g., the spectral responses would be similar to, substantially match,be substantially equivalent to, or be substantially the same).

For example, the second analyzer controller 14 b, based at least in parton the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45, may be configured tooutput one or more detector gain signals 60 for controlling one or moreanalyzer detectors and/or detector responses, such that the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b,when analyzing a multi-component material, outputs a corrected materialspectrum or spectra that is standardized according to the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio 24. Thus, in some embodiments, rather thangenerating a material spectrum when analyzing a multi-componentmaterial, and thereafter correcting the material spectrum 47 based atleast in part on the variance to output a corrected material spectrum54, the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b and/or the second analyzercontroller 14 b may be configured to output a corrected materialspectrum 54 by adjusting the gain, for example, without prior generationof a material spectrum 47, which is thereafter corrected. Rather, insome embodiments, based at least in part on the variance, the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b with the second analyzer controller 14 b maybe configured to adjust the gain associated with the analyzer sources,detectors, and/or detector responses, so that the second spectroscopicanalyzer 12 b with second analyzer controller 14 b output a correctedmaterial spectrum 56 that reduces or substantially eliminates thevariance.

In some embodiments consistent with FIG. 1G, the spectroscopic analyzer12 b may include one or more analyzer sources, such as electromagneticradiation emitters and/or lasers, for transmitting electromagneticradiation into a material sample being analyzed, as will be understoodby those skilled in the art. In some such embodiments, the gain alteringsignal(s) 60 may cause a change in the energy input to the analyzersource(s) to increase or decrease the output signals of thespectroscopic analyzer 12 b. For example, in some embodiments, in amanner at least similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1E, the gain ofthe spectroscopic analyzer 12 b may be changed by the gain alteringsignal(s) 60, such that the spectroscopic analyzer 12 b may output thecorrected material spectra 56 instead of outputting the material spectra47 and thereafter changing (or correcting) the material spectra 47 toachieve the corrected material spectra 56.

In some embodiments, this may render it possible to directly compare theresults of an analysis by the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b withthe second analyzer controller 14 b with results of an analysis by thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14a made during the first state. In addition, as noted above, in someembodiments, using the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 tocalibrate or recalibrate the second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b with thesecond analyzer controller 14 b to achieve the standardization mayrequire the analysis of significantly fewer samples (e.g., thesecond-state portfolio samples 44) as compared to the originalcalibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with first analyzercontroller 14 a during the first state. This may also significantlyreduce the time required to calibrate or recalibrate the secondspectroscopic analyzer 12 b with second the analyzer controller 14 b.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B are a block diagram of another spectroscopicanalyzer assembly 10 including a first standardized spectroscopicanalyzer 12 a and first analyzer controller 14 a configured tostandardize a plurality of spectroscopic analyzers and showing exampleinputs and example outputs in relation to an example timeline accordingto embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 2B shows the plurality of examplestandardized spectroscopic analyzers and/or the analyzer controllersanalyzing conditioned materials to output predicted (or determined)material data for the materials for use in example processes accordingto embodiments of the disclosure. In some embodiments, the spectroscopicanalyzers and/or the analyzer controllers may analyze unconditionedmaterials and/or semi-conditioned materials to output predicted (ordetermined) material data for the materials for use in exampleprocesses.

In the example embodiments shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the spectroscopicanalyzer assembly 10 may include a first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a anda first analyzer controller 14 a configured to determine and usestandardized analyzer spectral responses to standardize spectralresponses of one or more (e.g., each) of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers (e.g., a second spectroscopic analyzer 12 b, a thirdspectroscopic analyzer 12 c, and a fourth spectroscopic analyzer 12 dthrough an n^(th) spectroscopic analyzer 12 n), such that for a givenmaterial one or more of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers outputsa plurality of signals indicative of a plurality of material propertiesof the material, the plurality of material properties of the materialoutput by each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers beingsubstantially consistent with one another. In some embodiments, thespectroscopic analyzer assembly 10 may further include a plurality ofanalyzer controllers (e.g., a second analyzer controller 14 b, a thirdanalyzer controller 14 c, and a fourth analyzer controller 14 d throughan n^(th) analyzer controller 14 n), each associated with acorresponding spectroscopic analyzer.

In some embodiments, each of the analyzer controllers 14 a-14 n may bein communication with a respective one of the spectroscopic analyzers 12a-12 n. For example, the analyzer controllers 14 may each be physicallyconnected to the respective spectroscopic analyzer 12. In some suchembodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers 12 may each include a housingand at least a portion of the respective analyzer controller 14 may becontained in the housing. In some such embodiments, the respectiveanalyzer controllers 14 may be in communication with the respectivespectroscopic analyzers 12 via a hard-wired and/or wirelesscommunications link. In some embodiments, the respective analyzercontrollers 14 may be physically separated from the respectivespectroscopic analyzers 12 and may be in communication with therespective spectroscopic analyzers 12 via a hard-wired communicationslink and/or a wireless communications link. In some embodiments,physical separation may include being spaced from one another, butwithin the same building, within the same facility (e.g., located at acommon manufacturing facility, such as a refinery), or being spaced fromone another geographically (e.g., anywhere in the world). In somephysically separated embodiments, both the spectroscopic analyzer 12and/or the respective analyzer controller 14 may be linked to a commoncommunications network, such as a hard-wired communications networkand/or a wireless communications network. Such communications links mayoperate according to any known hard-wired and/or wireless communicationsprotocols as will be understood by those skilled in the art. AlthoughFIG. 2A schematically depicts each of the analyzer controllers 14 a-14 nbeing separate analyzer controllers, in some embodiments, one or more ofthe analyzer controllers 14 a-14 n may be part of a common analyzercontroller configured to control one or more the spectroscopic analyzers12 a-12 n.

In some embodiments, using the standardized analyzer spectra may includetransferring one or more spectral models of the first spectroscopicanalyzer 12 a when in the first state to one or more of the secondthrough n^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with respectiveanalyzer controllers 14 b-14 n after a change to the second throughn^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n, such that, when in the secondstate, analysis by the second through n^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 12b-12 n of multi-component materials results in generation of secondthrough n^(th) material spectra 56 b-56 n that are consistent with afirst-state material spectrum outputted by the first spectroscopicanalyzer 12 a, when in the first state, resulting from analysis of thefirst multi-component material 32 a. Thus, in some embodiments, thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a and one or more of the second throughn^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n will be capable of generatingthe substantially same spectrum after an event causing the need tocalibrate (or recalibrate) one or more of the second through n^(th)spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n (e.g., a change to one or more of thesecond through n^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n, such asmaintenance and/or component replacement). In some embodiments, this mayimprove one or more of the accuracy, reproducibility, or consistency ofresults outputted by the one or more of the second through n^(th)spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n after a change in state from the firststate to the second state. For example, one or more of the secondthrough n^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with one or more of therespective second through n^(th) analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n may beconfigured to analyze a multi-component material and output plurality ofsignals indicative of a plurality of material properties of the materialbased at least in part on a corrected material spectrum, such that theplurality of material properties of the material predicted (ordetermined) by one or more of the second through n^(th) spectroscopicanalyzers 12 b-12 n and/or one or more of the second through n^(th)analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n are substantially consistent with (e.g.,substantially the same as) a plurality of material properties outputtedby the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with first analyzer controller14 a in the first state. This may result in standardizing the one ormore second through n^(th) spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with thecorresponding one or more of the second through n^(th) analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n based at least in part on the first spectroscopicanalyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a.

As shown in FIG. 2A, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller14 a may be configured to determine standardized analyzer spectra forcalibration of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzer 12 b-12 n whenone or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n changes from afirst state to a second state. For example, the first analyzercontroller 14 a, while in the first state and during a first-state timeperiod T₁, may be configured to analyze a plurality of differentmulti-component samples 16 and, based at least in part on themulti-component samples 16, output first-state sample spectra 18 of thedifferent multi-component samples 16. In some embodiments, each of thefirst-state sample spectra 18 may be collected and stored, for example,in a database. In some embodiments, each of the first-state samplespectra 18 may be associated with a corresponding differentmulti-component sample 16 and may be indicative of a plurality ofdifferent multi-component sample properties. In some embodiments, thefirst-state sample spectra 18, in combination with material data 19associated with each of the multi-component samples 16, may be used tooutput (e.g., develop) one or more spectral model(s) 20, which, in turn,may be used to calibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with thefirst analyzer controller 14 a, resulting in an analyzer calibration 22.The material data 19 may include any data related to one or moreproperties associated with one or more of the respective multi-componentsamples 16. The one or more spectral model(s) 20 may be indicative ofrelationships (e.g., correlations) between a spectrum or spectra of thefirst-state sample spectra 18 and one or more properties associated withone or more of respective multi-component samples 16, and therelationships may be used to provide the analyzer calibration 22. Asnoted previously herein, in some embodiments, as will be understood bythose skilled in the art, the one or more spectral model(s) 20 mayrepresent a univariate or multivariate regression (e.g., a least-squaresregression, a multiple linear regression (MLR), a partial least squaresregression (PLS), a principal component regression (PCR)), such as aregression of material data (e.g., one or more properties of themulti-component sample) against a corresponding spectrum of thefirst-state sample spectra 18. In some embodiments, the one or morespectral model(s) 20 may represent topological modeling by use ofnearest neighbor positioning to calculate properties, based on thematerial data (e.g., one or more properties of the multi-componentsample) against a corresponding spectrum of the first-state samplespectra 18, as also will be understood by those skilled in the art. Thismay facilitate prediction of one or more properties of a materialanalyzed by the spectroscopic analyzers 12 a-12 n, once calibrated,based at least in part on a spectrum associated with the material.

In some embodiments, the plurality of different multi-component samples16 may include a relatively large number of samples, for example, asdescribed previously herein with respect to FIG. 1B. For example, insome embodiments, in order to calibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a to a desired level ofaccuracy and/or reproducibility, it may be necessary to analyze hundredsor thousands of multi-component samples 16 that have correspondingmaterial data 19. Due to the relatively large number of multi-componentsamples 16 used for calibration, the first-state time period T₁, whichmay generally correspond to the time period during which themulti-component samples 16 are analyzed, may take a significant amountof time to complete, for example, as described previously herein withrespect to FIG. 1B. For example, in some embodiments, in order tocalibrate the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzercontroller 14 a to a desired level of accuracy and/or reproducibility,due to the relatively large number of samples analyzed, the first-statetime period T₁ may take dozens of hours or longer to complete.

Following calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with thefirst analyzer controller 14 a, the spectral responses of the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a maybe standardized, for example, by analyzing one or more first-stateportfolio sample(s) 23 to output a standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 24 including one or more first-state portfolio sample spectra25. For example, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the firstanalyzer controller 14 a, when in the first state, may be used toanalyze one or more first-state portfolio sample(s) 23 to output afirst-state portfolio spectrum 25 for each of the one or morefirst-state portfolio sample(s) 23. In some embodiments, the respectivefirst-state portfolio sample spectrum 25 associated with a respectivefirst-state portfolio sample 23 may be stored to develop thestandardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, which may be used to reducea variance between a second-state portfolio sample spectrum (outputtedduring a second state) and a corresponding first-state portfolio samplespectrum 25 of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, forexample, as described herein.

As shown in FIG. 2A, following calibration and/or standardization of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14a, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzercontroller 14 a may be used to analyze multi-component materials topredict properties of the multi-component materials analyzed. Forexample, in some embodiments, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a withthe first analyzer controller 14 a may be used as part of amanufacturing process, for example, as described herein with respect toFIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C. For example, the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 awith the first analyzer controller 14 a may be used to analyzemulti-component materials, and the corresponding material propertiespredicted (or determined) from the analyses may be used to assist withat least partial control of the manufacturing process or processes.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, a manufacturing process may result ingenerating conditioned materials for analysis 32 a (e.g., fluids, suchas gases and/or liquids) during the manufacturing process, andmulti-component materials associated with the manufacturing process maybe diverted for analysis by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a withthe first analyzer controller 14 a. In some embodiments, for example, asshown in FIG. 2A, the multi-component material may be conditioned viamaterial conditioning to output conditioned material for analysis 32 aby the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzercontroller 14 a, for example, as described previously herein withrespect to FIG. 1B. In some embodiments, material conditioning mayinclude one or more of filtering particulates and/or fluid contaminantsfrom the multi-component material, controlling the temperature of themulti-component material (e.g., reducing or increasing the temperatureto be within a desired range of temperatures), or controlling thepressure of the multi-component material (e.g., reducing or increasingthe pressure to be within a desired range of pressures). In someembodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers and/or the analyzer controllersmay analyze unconditioned materials and/or semi-conditioned materials tooutput predicted (or determined) material data for the materials for usein example processes.

Upon analysis of the multi-component materials, which may be a feed to aprocessing unit and/or an output from a processing unit, the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a,using the analyzer calibration 22, may output a plurality of materialspectra 34 a and, based at least in part on the material spectra 34 a,predict a plurality of material properties associated with themulti-component materials. In some embodiments, the material spectra 34a and the associated predicted or determined material properties may bestored in a database as predicted (or determined) material data 36 a. Itis contemplated that additional material data associated with themulti-component materials analyzed may also be included in the databaseto supplement the predicted or determined material properties. Forexample, the database may define a library including material dataincluding correlations between the plurality of material spectra and theplurality of different material properties of the correspondingmaterial.

In some embodiments, the analysis of the multi-component materials mayoccur during a first material time period T_(P1), as shown in FIG. 2A.As shown in FIG. 2A, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller14 a (and/or one or more of the plurality of analyzer controllers 14b-14 n, as explained herein) may also be configured to output one ormore output signals 38 a indicative of the multi-component materialproperties. The output signal(s) 38 a may be used to at least partiallycontrol a manufacturing process, for example, as described with respectto FIGS. 2C and 6A (e.g., output signals 38 a through 38 n). Althoughthe output signals 38 a through 38 n are shown as individually beingcommunicated to the process controller(s) 64 independently of oneanother, in some examples, two or more of the output signals 38 athrough 38 n may be combined prior to being communicated to the processcontroller(s) 64. For example, two or more (e.g., all) of the outputsignals 38 a through 38 n may be received at a single receiver, which inturn, communicates the two or more of the combined signals to theprocess controller(s) 64. In some examples, at least some of the outputsignal(s) 38 a through 38 n may be communicated to one or more outputdevice(s) 72, either independently of communication to the processcontroller(s) 64 or via the process controller(s) 64, for example,following receipt of the output signals 38 a through 38 n by the processcontroller(s) 64. The output device(s) 72 may include display devices,such as, for example, a computer monitor and/or portable output devices,such as a laptop computer, a smartphone, a tablet computing device,etc., as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Suchcommunication may be enabled by a communications link, such as ahard-wired and/or wireless communications link, for example, via one ormore communications networks.

As referenced above, in some embodiments, the first analyzer controller14 a may be configured to use the first-state-portfolio sample spectra25 of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24 to calibrate orrecalibrate one or more of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12b-12 n with the respective analyzer controllers 14 a-14 n. For example,as shown in FIG. 2A, such change(s) 40 to the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers 12 b-12 n that might necessitate recalibration may include,but are not limited to, for example, maintenance performed on theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n, replacement of one ormore components of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n,cleaning of one or more components of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers 12 b-12 n, re-orienting one or more components of theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n, a change in path length(e.g., relative to the path length for prior calibration), or preparingthe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n for use, for example,prior to a first use and/or calibration (or recalibration) of theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n specific to the materialsto which they are intended to analyze.

In some embodiments, as explained herein, using the respective portfoliosample-based correction(s) 45 b-45 n (see FIG. 2B) based at least inpart on the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24 to calibrate orrecalibrate the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n mayresult in the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with therespective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n outputting analyzed materialspectra and/or predicting corresponding material properties in a mannersubstantially consistent with a plurality of material properties of thematerial outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with thefirst analyzer controller 14 a in the first state, for example, in astate prior to the change(s) 40 to the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers 12 b-12 n.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, in some embodiments, the plurality ofanalyzer controllers 14 b-14 n may be configured to analyze, via therespective spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n, when in the second state,a selected plurality of portfolio sample(s) 23 to output second-stateportfolio sample spectra 44 for the selected plurality of differentsecond-state portfolio sample(s) 42. In some embodiments, the portfoliosample(s) 23 may be the first-state portfolio sample(s) 23 and/or thesecond-state portfolio sample(s) 42, for example, as describedpreviously herein with respect to FIGS. 1A-1G. In some embodiments, eachof the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 a-44 n may be associatedwith a corresponding different portfolio sample 23. As shown in FIG. 2A,in some embodiments, as explained in more detail previously herein withrespect to FIG. 1B, the portfolio sample(s) 23 may include a number ofsamples significantly lower than the number of samples of the pluralityof multi-component samples 16. For example, in some embodiments, inorder to calibrate or recalibrate the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers 12 b-12 n with the respective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 nafter the change(s) 40 to achieve a desired level of accuracy and/orreproducibility, for example, an accuracy and/or reproducibilitysubstantially equal to or better than the level of accuracy and/orreproducibility of the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the firstanalyzer controller 14 a, in some embodiments, it may only be necessaryto analyze as few as ten or fewer of the portfolio sample(s) 23, asexplained in more detail herein.

As shown in FIG. 2A, in some embodiments, because it may be necessary toonly analyze substantially fewer portfolio sample(s) 23 to achieveresults substantially consistent with the results achieved prior to thechange(s) 40, a second-state time period T₂ during which the portfoliosample(s) 23 or the portfolio sample(s) 42 (see FIGS. 1A-1G) areanalyzed may be significantly less than the first-state time period T₁during which the multi-component samples 16 are analyzed for the output(e.g., the development) of spectral model(s) 20 and analyzer calibration22. For example, as noted above, in some embodiments, the first-statetime period T₁ may exceed 100 hours, as compared with the second-statetime period T₂, which may be less than 20 hours (e.g., less than 16hours, less than 10 hours, less than 8 hours, less than 4 hours, or lessthan 2 hours) for each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12b-12 n, for example, as described previously herein with respect to FIG.1B.

Thus, in some embodiments, the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12b-12 n with the respective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n may beconfigured to be calibrated or recalibrated to achieve substantially thesame accuracy and/or reproducibility of analysis as the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with first analyzer controller 14 a, whileusing significantly fewer samples to calibrate or recalibrate each ofthe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with the respectiveanalyzer controllers 14 b-14 n, as compared to the number ofmulti-component samples 16 used to calibrate or recalibrate the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a forthe development of spectral model(s) 20 and analyzer calibration 22,thus requiring significantly less time for calibration or recalibration.In some embodiments, the calibrated or recalibrated plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n and/or the plurality of analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n, calibrated or recalibrated in such a manner, maybe capable of generating substantially the same spectra followingcalibration or recalibration as outputted by the first spectroscopicanalyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a, which may resultin improved accuracy and/or reproducibility by the first spectroscopicanalyzer 12 a and each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12b-12 n. Such accuracy and/or reproducibility may provide the ability tocompare analysis results outputted by either the first spectroscopicanalyzer 12 a or the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n,which may result in the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a and theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n being relatively moreuseful, for example, when incorporated into a manufacturing processinvolving the processing of multi-component materials received frommaterial sources, such as material sources 28 and 48 shown in FIG. 1A,for example, a petroleum refining-related process, a pharmaceuticalmanufacturing process, or other processes involving the processing ofmaterials.

As shown in FIG. 2A, in some embodiments, each of the plurality ofanalyzer controllers 14 b-14 n also may be configured to compare one ormore of the respective second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 b-44 nfrom the portfolio samples to the first-state portfolio sample spectra25. Based at least in part on the comparison, the plurality of analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n further may be configured to determine for one ormore of the respective second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 b-44 n,a variance 62 (e.g., respective variances 62 b-62 n) over a range ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies between the respectivesecond-state portfolio sample spectra 44 b-44 n outputted by each of therespective spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n and the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25 of the standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 24 outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a. Forexample, in some embodiments, the plurality of analyzer controllers 14b-14 n may be configured to determine a difference in magnitude betweeneach of the second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 and the first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25 for each of a plurality of wavelengths,wavenumbers, and/or frequencies over one or more ranges of wavelengths,wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, respectively.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of analyzer controllers 14b-14 n may be configured to determine respective variances 62 b-62 n bydetermining a mean average variance, one or more ratios of variances atrespective individual wavelengths, or a combination thereof, for aplurality of wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies over a rangeof wavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, respectively. In someembodiments, each of the plurality of analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n maybe configured to determine a relationship for a plurality ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies over the range ofwavelengths, wavenumbers, and/or frequencies, respectively, between therespective second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 b-44 n and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra 25, and the relationship mayinclude one or more of a ratio, an addition, a subtraction, amultiplication, a division, one or more derivatives, or an equation.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, in some embodiments, each of the pluralityof analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n still further may be configured toreduce the respective variance 62 b-62 n (FIG. 2B) between therespective second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 b-44 n and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra 25. For example, each of theplurality of analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n may be configured to use therespective analyzer portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45 b-45 n basedat least in part on the previously outputted standardized analyzerspectra portfolio 24 to reduce the respective variances 62 b-62 nbetween the respective second-state portfolio sample spectra 44 b-44 nand the first-state portfolio sample spectra 25, so that each of therespective ones of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 nand/or the respective ones of the plurality of analyzer controllers 14b-14 n is able to output, when in the second state following thechange(s) 40 (e.g., during initial set-up or after maintenance), aplurality of signals indicative of a plurality of material properties ofan analyzed multi-component material, such that the plurality ofmaterial properties of the multi-component material are substantiallyconsistent with a plurality of material properties of themulti-component material that were, or would be, outputted by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a inthe first state. For example, as shown in FIG. 2B, the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with the respective analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n may be configured to output respective portfoliosample-based correction(s) 45 b-45 n, which reduce or substantiallyeliminate the respective variance 62 b-62 n between the second-stateportfolio sample spectra 44 b-44 n and the respective first-stateportfolio sample spectra 25 (FIG. 2A), which, in turn, may reduce orsubstantially eliminate the respective variance between second-statemulti-component material spectra 47 and first-state multicomponentspectra 18, for example, should the same sample be analyzed in both thefirst and second states.

As shown in FIG. 2B, in some embodiments, following the change(s) 40 tothe plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n and/or the pluralityof analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n and the calibration or recalibrationin the second state, the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 nmay be used to analyze a plurality of multi-component materials. Forexample, as shown in FIG. 2B, a manufacturing process may include aplurality of material sources for respective multi-component materials(e.g., fluids, such as gases and/or liquids) of the manufacturingprocess, and multi-component materials associated with the manufacturingprocess may be diverted for analysis by one or more of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with the respective analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n. In some embodiments, for example, as shown inFIG. 2B, the multi-component materials may be conditioned via materialconditioning to output conditioned materials for analysis 52 b-52 n bythe respective spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with the respectiveanalyzer controllers 14 b-14 n. In some embodiments, materialconditioning may include one or more of filtering particulates and/orfluid contaminants from the multi-component material, controlling thetemperature of the multi-component material (e.g., reducing orincreasing the temperature to be within a desired range oftemperatures), or controlling the pressure of the multi-componentmaterial (e.g., reducing or increasing the pressure to be within adesired range of pressures). In some embodiments, the manufacturingprocesses, the material sources, the material conditioning, and/or theconditioned materials for analysis 52 b-52 n, may substantiallycorrespond to the previously-discussed manufacturing process 26,material source(s) 28, material conditioning 30, and/or the conditionedmaterial for analysis 52 (see, e.g., FIGS. 1A-1G). In some embodiments,the manufacturing processes, the material sources, the materialconditioning, and/or the conditioned materials for analysis 52 b-52 n,may be substantially different than the manufacturing process 26,material source 28, material conditioning 30, and/or the conditionedmaterial for analysis 32 previously discussed with respect to FIGS.1A-1G.

In some embodiments, each of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12b-12 n with each of the respective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n may beconfigured to analyze, when in the second state, the multi-componentmaterials received from the respective material sources and output amaterial spectrum corresponding to the respective multi-componentmaterials, for example, as described previously herein with respect toFIGS. 1A and 1B. As shown in FIG. 2B, the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers 12 b-12 n with the respective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 nalso may be configured to use the second through n^(th) materialspectrum 47 b-47 n to output respective corrected material spectra 54b-54 n, based at least in part on the standardized analyzer spectraportfolio 24, the respective portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45b′-45 n′, for each of the respective multi-component materials. In someembodiments, each of the corrected material spectra 54 b-54 n mayinclude one or more of an absorption-corrected spectrum, atransmittance-corrected spectrum, a transflectance-corrected spectrum, areflectance-corrected spectrum, or an intensity-corrected spectrum, forexample, and/or a mathematical treatment of the material spectrum, suchas, for example, a second derivative of the material spectrum. Forexample, based at least in part on the respective corrected materialspectra 54 b-54 n, the respective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n may beconfigured to output a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality ofmaterial properties of the respective multi-component materials, and theplurality of material properties may be substantially consistent with(e.g., substantially the same as) a plurality of material properties ofthe multi-component materials that would be outputted by the firstspectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14 a.Thus, in some such embodiments, the respective corrected materialspectra 54 b-54 n may result in standardized spectra, such that thecorrected material spectra 56 b-56 n have been standardized based atleast in part on the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio 24, so thatthe respective corrected material spectra 56 b-56 n are thesubstantially the same material spectra that would be outputted by thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the first analyzer controller 14a.

In some embodiments, this may render it possible to directly compare theresults of analysis by the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12n with the respective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n with results ofanalysis by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the firstanalyzer controller 14 a. In some embodiments, this may render itpossible to directly compare the results of analysis by each of theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with each of therespective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n with one another. In addition,as noted above, in some embodiments, using the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) 45 b-45 n to calibrate or recalibrate of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with the respective analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n to achieve the standardization may require theanalysis of significantly fewer samples (e.g., the second-stateportfolio samples 44) as compared to the original calibration of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with first analyzer controller 14 aduring the first state. This may also significantly reduce the timerequired to calibrate or recalibrate each of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with each of the respective analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n.

Upon analysis of the multi-component materials from the materialsource(s), which may be feed(s) to one or more processing units and/oran output(s) from one or more processing units, the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with the respective analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n may establish a plurality of corrected materialspectra 56 b-56 n and, based at least in part on the corrected materialspectra 56 b-56 n, predict a plurality of material properties associatedwith the multi-component materials. In some embodiments, the correctedmaterial spectra 56 b-56 n and the associated predicted or determinedmaterial properties may be stored in a database as respective predicted(or determined) material data 58 b-58 n. It is contemplated thatadditional material data associated with the multi-component materialsanalyzed may also be included in the database to supplement thepredicted or determined material properties. For example, the databasemay define a library including material data and/or includingcorrelations between the plurality of material spectra and the pluralityof different material properties of the corresponding materials.

As shown in FIG. 2C, in some embodiments, the plurality of analyzercontrollers 14 b-14 n may also be configured to output one or moreoutput signals 38 b-38 n indicative of the respective multi-componentmaterial properties. The output signal(s) 38 a-38 n may be used to atleast partially control a manufacturing process. For example, as shownin FIG. 2C, the output signal(s) 38 a-38 n may be communicated to one ormore process controllers 64 configured, based at least in part on theoutput signal(s) 38 a-38 n, to output one or more process controlsignals 66 for at least partially controlling operation of one or morematerial processing unit(s) 68 configured to process a multi-componentmaterial. In some embodiments, the process controller(s) 64 also may beconfigured to receive one or more process parameters 70 and based atleast partially on the output signal(s) 38 a-38 n and/or the processparameter(s) 70, output the one or more process control signal(s) 66 toat least partially control operation of the one or more materialprocessing unit(s) 68, for example, as described herein with respect toFIG. 6A. In some examples, at least some of the output signal(s) 38 a-38n may be communicated to one or more output devices 72, such as, forexample, printers, display devices, such as a computer monitor and/orportable output devices, such as a laptop computer, a smartphone, atablet computing device, a printer, etc., as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art. Such communication may be enabled by one or morecommunications links, such as a hard-wired and/or wirelesscommunications link, for example, via one or more communicationnetworks.

In some embodiments, as explained herein, using the portfoliosample-based correction(s) 45 b-45 n to calibrate or recalibrate theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n may result in theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with the respectiveanalyzer controllers 14 b-14 n generating analyzed material spectraand/or predicting corresponding material properties in a mannersubstantially consistent with a plurality of material propertiesoutputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer 12 a with the firstanalyzer controller 14 a.

Although not shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, similar to FIGS. 1D-1G, in someembodiments, the plurality of analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n, based atleast in part on the respective portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45b-45 n, may be configured to output one or more gain signals forcontrolling one or more analyzer sources, analyzer detectors, and/ordetector responses, such that the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers12 b-12 n with the respective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n, whenanalyzing a multi-component material, output a corrected materialspectrum or spectra that are standardized according to the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio 24. Thus, in some embodiments, rather thangenerating a material spectrum when analyzing a multi-componentmaterial, and thereafter correcting the material spectrum based at leastin part on the variance and the portfolio sample-based correction(s) 45developed to reduce the variance to output a corrected materialspectrum, the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 a-12 n with therespective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n may be configured to output arespective corrected material spectrum 54 b-54 n by adjusting thedetector gain, for example, without prior generation of a materialspectrum, which is thereafter corrected. Rather, in some embodiments,based at least in part on the respective variance(s) 62 b through 62 n,the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12 b-12 n with the plurality ofanalyzer controllers 14 b-14 n may be configured to adjust the gainassociated with the respective analyzer sources, detectors, and/ordetector responses, so that the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers 12b-12 n with the respective analyzer controllers 14 b-14 n outputcorrected material spectra 56 b-56 n that reduces or substantiallyeliminates the respective variance(s) 62 b through 62 n.

FIGS. 3-5 are process flow diagrams illustrating an example processesfor standardizing spectroscopic analyzers according to embodiments ofthe disclosure, analyzing multi-component materials using standardizedspectroscopic analyzers, and checking for changes to a spectroscopicanalyzer that would result in a need to calibrate or recalibrate aspectroscopic analyzer according to embodiments of the disclosure,illustrated as a collection of blocks in a logical flow graph, whichrepresent a sequence of operations. In the context of software, theblocks represent computer-executable instructions stored on one or morecomputer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or moreprocessors, perform the recited operations. Generally,computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, and the like that perform particularfunctions or implement particular data types. The order in which theoperations are described is not intended to be construed as alimitation, and any number of the described blocks can be combined inany order and/or in parallel to implement the methods.

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of an example calibration and/orrecalibration process 80 according to embodiments of the disclosure. Forexample, the example process 80 may be used to determine and usestandardized analyzer spectral responses for calibration of aspectroscopic analyzer when a spectroscopic analyzer changes from afirst state to a second state, the second state being defined as aperiod of time after a change to the spectroscopic analyzer causing aneed to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer, forexample, as previously described herein.

The example process 80, at 82, may include determining whether astandardized calibration is available to be used to standardize spectralresponses of a spectroscopic analyzer. For example, a spectroscopicanalyzer may have undergone a change, so that it is in the second stateand needs to be calibrated, for example, as described previously herein.

If, at 82, it is determined that a standardized calibration isavailable, the example process 80 may include, at 84, receiving spectralmodels for multi-component analysis, as described previously herein.

The example process 80, at 86, also may include analyzing one or moresamples from a set of second-state portfolio samples to output asecond-state portfolio sample spectrum, as described previously herein.

At 88, the example process 80 may include determining the standardizedcalibration based at least in part on the spectral models and/or thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra, for example, as previouslydescribed herein.

At 90, the example process 80 further may include comparing thesecond-state portfolio sample spectrum to a first-state portfolio samplespectrum, as described previously herein. In some examples, thefirst-state portfolio sample spectrum may have been previously outputtedby another spectroscopic analyzer as a result of analyzing a set offirst-state portfolio samples, as described previously herein.

At 92, the example process 80 also may include determining a variancebetween the second-state portfolio sample spectrum and a correspondingfirst-state portfolio sample spectrum. In some embodiments, the variancemay be the difference in amplitude of the corresponding spectra at oneor more wavelengths, wavenumbers, or frequencies, or at one or moreranges of wavelengths, wavenumbers, or frequencies. This may beperformed as described previously herein.

The example process 80, at 94, may further include determining whetherthere is sufficient data to output portfolio sample-based corrections,as described previously herein. If not, the example process 80 mayinclude returning to 86 and analyzing a sample from the set ofsecond-state portfolio samples to output an additional second-stateportfolio sample spectrum. Thereafter, the example process 80 may repeat90 and 92, and at 94, determine again whether there is sufficient datato output portfolio sample-based corrections, for example, as describedpreviously herein. This set of steps (e.g., 86-94) may be repeated untilit is determined at 94 that there is sufficient data to output portfoliosample-based corrections.

If at 94, it is determined that there is sufficient data, at 96, theexample process 80 may further include generating the portfoliosample-based corrections. Following 96, the example process 80 mayproceed to 98, and the spectroscopic analyzer may be used in a materialanalysis process, for example, as shown in FIG. 4 .

If, at 82, it is determined that a standardized calibration is notavailable, at 100, the example process 80 may include analyzing, withthe spectroscopic analyzer that needs to be calibrated or recalibrated,a sample from a set of multi-component samples to output a first-statesample spectrum for the sample. This may be performed, as describedpreviously herein.

The example process 80, at 102, may include collecting the first-statespectrum and associated data. Thereafter, the example, process 80 mayinclude, at 104, determining whether there are additional samples fromthe set of multi-component samples to analyze. If so, the exampleprocess 80 may return to 100 to analyze more samples of the set ofmulti-component samples. If, or when, at 104, it is determined thatthere are no additional samples from the set of multi-component samplesto analyze, the example process 80 may include, at 106, generatingspectral models for the spectroscopic analyzer based on the collectedfirst-state sample spectra and associated data.

At 108, the example process 80 may include analyzing via thespectroscopic analyzer first-state portfolio samples to outputfirst-state portfolio sample spectra and collecting the first-stateportfolio sample spectra to build a standardized analyzer spectraportfolio, for example, as previously described herein.

At 110, the example process 80 also may include receiving analyzerspectra in the first state and/or standardized analyzer spectra in thesecond state, and updating the spectral models based at least in part onthe analyzer spectra in the first state and/or standardized analyzerspectra in the second state, for example, as described previouslyherein.

At 112, the example process 80 further may include determining whetherthere has been a change to the spectroscopic analyzer that would resultin the need to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzerfollowing generation of the spectral models. If, at 112, it isdetermined that no such change has occurred, the example calibration orrecalibration process 80 may proceed to 98, and the spectroscopicanalyzer may be used in a material analysis process, for example, asshown in FIG. 4 .

If, at 112, however, it is determined that a change has occurred to thespectroscopic analyzer, the example process 80 may include proceeding to86 and performing 86-96 and proceeding to 98, for example, as describedabove, so the spectroscopic analyzer may be used in a material analysisprocess, for example, as shown in FIG. 4 .

FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram illustrating an example materialanalysis process 120 according to embodiments of the disclosure. At 122,the example process 120 may include receiving material from a materialsource. In some embodiments, the material may be a multi-componentmaterial. The material source, in some embodiments may be a feed to aprocess and/or an output from a process involving the multi-componentmaterial, for example, as previously described herein.

At 124, the example process 120 may include determining whether thespectroscopic analyzer being used for the analysis has a standardizedcalibration. If not, the example process 120 may proceed to 126, so thespectroscopic analyzer can be calibrated or recalibrated, for example,according to the example process 80 shown in FIG. 3 . If, at 124, it isdetermined that the spectroscopic analyzer calibration has beenstandardized, the example process, at 128, may include analyzing thematerial using the spectroscopic analyzer to output a material spectrum,for example, as described previously herein.

At 130, the example process 120 may further include transforming thematerial spectrum using the portfolio sample-based correction(s) tooutput a corrected material spectrum for the analyzed material, forexample, as described previously herein.

The example process 120, at 132, may further include outputtingpredicted (or determined) material data based at least in part on thecorrected material spectrum and corresponding the spectral model(s)used, for example, as described previously herein.

The example process 120, at 134, may also include transmitting thepredicted (or determined) material data to one or more processcontrollers. For example, a portion of the multi-component material maybe supplied from a material source that is part of a manufacturingprocess including a material processing unit that receives themulti-component material as a feed and/or outputs the multi-componentmaterial. In some examples, a portion of the multi-component materialmay be supplied by or to a laboratory for analysis, for example, asdescribed herein.

At 136, the example process 120 may also include optionally storing thepredicted (or determined) material data in a material data library,which may include the corrected material spectrum, the predicted ordetermined material data, and in some examples, additional informationabout the analyzed material.

For example, the example process 120 shown in FIG. 4 , at 138, maydetermine whether a process, either using the material as a feed oroutputting the material, should be adjusted based at least in part onthe predicted or determined material data outputted by the spectroscopicanalyzer.

If, at 138, it is determined that the process should not be adjusted,the example process 120 proceeds to 140, which may include determiningwhether another material has been received by the spectroscopic analyzerfor analysis. If not, at 142 the example process 120 may include waitingfor receipt at the spectroscopic analyzer of an additional material foranalysis. In some embodiments, the wait time may be substantially zero,for example, when analyzing material involved with a continuous orsubstantially continuous process, such as a hydrocarbon refiningprocess. In some embodiments, the wait time may be significant, forexample, in a laboratory setting or other setting in which the analysismay be conducted intermittently. If, at 140, it is determined that thespectroscopic analyzer has received another material for analyzing, theexample process may return to 124, so the example process 120 maydetermine whether the spectroscopic analyzer being used for the analysishas a standardized calibration.

If, at 138, it is determined that the process should be adjusted, theexample process 120 may include, at 144, generating one or more processcontrol signals to adjust the process, for example, as describedpreviously herein. At 146, the example process 120 may further includeadjusting the process according to the one or more control signalsoutputted at 144. Thereafter, the example process 120 may proceed to 140and continue as described above.

FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram illustrating an example process 150 forchecking for a change in a spectroscopic analyzer to determine whetherto calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer according toembodiments of the disclosure. For example, the example process 150 maybe used to determine whether a spectroscopic analyzer is in the secondstate and needs to be calibrated or recalibrated, for example, when thespectroscopic analyzer has changed from a first state to a second state,the second state being defined as a period of time after a change to thespectroscopic analyzer causing a need to calibrate or recalibrate thespectroscopic analyzer, for example, as previously described herein.

The example process 150, at 152, may include determining whether thespectroscopic analyzer has been previously used. If not, this may be anindication that the spectroscopic analyzer has not been calibrated orrecalibrated with a standardized calibration. Thus, if at 152, it isdetermined that the spectroscopic analyzer has not been used, theexample process 150 may include proceeding to 154, and the spectroscopicanalyzer may be calibrated or recalibrated according to the exampleprocess 80 for determining and using a standardized calibration tocalibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer, for example, asshown in FIG. 3 .

If, at 152, it is determined that the spectroscopic analyzer has beenused, at 156, the example process 150 may include determining whether acalibration has been requested. If so, the example process 150 mayinclude proceeding to 154, and the spectroscopic analyzer may becalibrated or recalibrated according to the example process 80 fordetermining and using a standardized calibration to calibrate orrecalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer, for example, as shown in FIG. 3.

If, at 156, it is determined that calibration or recalibration has notbeen requested, the example process 150, at 158, may include determiningwhether maintenance has been performed on the spectroscopic analyzer,which might indicate a change to the spectroscopic analyzer from thefirst state to the second state, as previously described herein. If, at158, it is determined that maintenance has been performed, the exampleprocess 150 may include proceeding to 160.

At 160, the example process 150 may include determining whether acomponent of the spectroscopic analyzer has been replaced, such as alamp, laser, detector, or grating. In some examples, such a replacementmay be performed as a part of maintenance, although maintenance mayinclude other actions not including component replacement. If, at 160,it is determined that a component has been replaced, this may be anindication that the spectroscopic analyzer has undergone a changeconsistent with the spectroscopic analyzer transitioning from the firststate to the second state, and thus needs to be recalibrated. In suchinstances, the example process 150 may include proceeding to 154, andthe spectroscopic analyzer may be calibrated or recalibrated accordingto the example process 80 for determining and using a standardizedcalibration to calibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer, forexample, as shown in FIG. 3 .

If, at 160, it is determined that a component of the spectroscopicanalyzer has not been replaced, at 162, the example process 150 mayinclude determining whether the spectroscopic analyzer is using a pathlength different than a first-state spectroscopic analyzer. If so, itmay be an indication that the spectroscopic analyzer needs to becalibrated or recalibrated, such that the difference in path length isaccounted for in its calibration, and the example process 150 mayinclude proceeding to 154, so the spectroscopic analyzer may becalibrated or recalibrated according to the example process 80 fordetermining and using a standardized calibration to calibrate orrecalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer, for example, as shown in FIG. 3.

If, at 162, it is determined that the path length is the same as afirst-state spectroscopic analyzer, at 164, the example process 150 mayinclude determining whether the spectroscopic analyzer has been used fora service interval, for example, whether the spectroscopic analyzer hasperformed a predetermined number of analyses or been in operation for apredetermined amount of time. If so, the example process 150 may includeproceeding to 166, at which it is determined whether the spectroscopicanalyzer is meeting performance requirements. If so, the example process150 may return to at 156 and repeat the process 150, beginning withdetermining whether a calibration of the spectroscopic analyzer has beenrequested.

If, at 166, it is determined that the spectroscopic analyzer is notmeeting performance requirements, this may be an indication thespectroscopic analyzer may need to be serviced and/or recalibrated, theexample process 150 may include proceeding to 154, and the spectroscopicanalyzer may be calibrated or recalibrated according to the exampleprocess 80 for determining and using a standardized calibration tocalibrate or recalibrate the spectroscopic analyzer, for example, asshown in FIG. 3 .

If, at 164, it is determined that the spectroscopic analyzer has notbeen used for a completed or full service interval, at 168, the exampleprocess 150 may include continuing to use the spectroscopic analyzeruntil the service interval is reached and thereafter, at 166,determining whether the spectroscopic analyzer is meeting performancerequirements, for example, as described above with respect to 166. Inthe above example manner, it may be determined whether the spectroscopicanalyzer is in the second state, thus needing to be calibrated orrecalibrated with a standardized analyzer calibration.

It should be appreciated that subject matter presented herein may beimplemented as a computer process, a computer-controlled apparatus, acomputing system, or an article of manufacture, such as acomputer-readable storage medium. While the subject matter describedherein is presented in the general context of program modules thatexecute on one or more computing devices, those skilled in the art willrecognize that other implementations may be performed in combinationwith other types of program modules. Generally, program modules includeroutines, programs, components, data structures, and other types ofstructures that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that aspects of thesubject matter described herein may be practiced on or in conjunctionwith other computer system configurations beyond those described herein,including multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmableconsumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, handheldcomputers, mobile telephone devices, tablet computing devices,special-purposed hardware devices, network appliances, and the like.

FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram of an example material processingarrangement 600A using a plurality of example spectroscopic analyzersand respective analyzer controllers to prescriptively control thematerial processing arrangement 600A according to embodiments of thedisclosure. The example processing arrangement 600A shown in FIG. 6A maybe used in relation to any process in which a plurality ofmulti-component materials is processed in separate processing units toachieve a blended multi-component resulting material. For example, theexample material processing arrangement 600A shown in FIG. 6A may beused in a petroleum refining-related process, such as a gasolineblending process. Other processes are contemplated.

As shown FIG. 6A, in some embodiments, the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers (e.g., 612 a through 612 n) may be used to analyze themulti-component materials resulting from respective material processes,prior to blending and/or after blending (e.g., at blend spectroscopicanalyzer 626), and the results of the analyses may be usedprescriptively as an input to control one or more of the processingunits performing each of the material processes, as well as an input tocontrol the respective amounts (e.g., ratios) of each of themulti-component materials resulting from the respective materialprocesses that are supplied to the blending process. In someembodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers may perform one or more of therespective analyses real-time, as the material processes are performed,to provide relatively more responsive control of the material processes,potentially resulting in increased efficiencies and blendedmulti-component materials having a material content closer to desiredspecifications.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the example processing arrangement 600A may includeone or more material processing unit(s) 602 a through 602 n, which maybe supplied with multi-component material feeds of multi-componentmaterials for processing by one or more of the respective materialprocessing unit(s) 602 a through 602 n. In some embodiments, thematerial feeds for analysis may be supplied from a source remote fromthe manufacturing or processing facility at which the spectroscopicanalyzers and controllers are present. The material processing unit(s)602 a through 602 n may be in flow communication with respect torespective material tanks 604 a through 604 n via a plurality ofrespective conduits 606 a through 606 n for receiving processedmulti-components materials resulting from material processing at each ofthe one or more material processing unit(s) 602 a through 602 n.Although only one conduit 606 is shown extending from the one or morematerial processing unit(s) 602 a through 602 n for clarity, conduit 606may represent one or more conduits extending from respective materialprocessing unit(s) 602 a through 602 n. As shown in FIG. 6A, the exampleprocessing arrangement 600A includes a first material tank 604 a, asecond material tank 604 b, a third material tank 604 c, and a fourthmaterial tank 604 d through an n^(th) material tank 604 n for receivingthe processed materials from the respective processing unit(s) 602 athrough 602 n via the conduits 606 a through 606 n.

In some embodiments, the processing arrangement 600A may include a valve608 a through 608 n associated with respective processing tanks 604 athrough 604 n that may be controlled independently of one another toselectively open to supply the processed multi-component materialcontained in the respective material tanks 604 a through 604 n to amixer 610 (e.g., a blender) for blending with other processedmulti-component materials supplied from the other material tanks of theplurality of material tanks 604 a through 604 n. For example, a firstvalve 608 a may be associated with the first material tank 604 a, asecond valve 608 b may be associated with the second material tank 604b, a third valve 608 c may be associated with the third material tank604 c, a fourth valve 608 d may be associated with the fourth materialtank 604 d, and an n^(th) valve 608 n may be associated with the n^(th)material tank 604 n. The valves may be manually controlled and/orautomatically controlled, for example, via one or more control signals.In some embodiments, each of the valves 608 a through 608 n may beopened and closed via a valve actuator as will be understood by thoseskilled in the art, and as explained below.

As shown in FIG. 6A, in some embodiments, a spectroscopic analyzer 612 athrough 612 n with a respective analyzer controller 614 a through 614 nmay be provided at an output of each of the valves 608 a through 608 nto analyze a sample of the processed multi-component material from eachof the respective material tanks 604 a through 604 n, for example, priorto blending at the mixer 610. As discussed previously herein, althoughthe plurality of analyzer controllers 614 a through 614 n for clarityare shown as being separate analyzer controllers, in some embodiments, asingle analyzer controller may function as a collective analyzercontroller for one or more of the spectroscopic analyzers 612 a through612 n. In addition, although analyzer controllers 614 a through 614 nare shown connected to the respective spectroscopic analyzers 612 athrough 612 n, the analyzer controllers 614 a through 614 n may belocated remotely from the respective spectroscopic analyzers 612 athrough 612 n. In some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers 612 athrough 612 n and analyzer controllers 614 a through 614 n may be incommunication with one another via one or more hard-wired and/orwireless communications links according to known protocols, as will beunderstood by those skilled in the art.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the example processing arrangement 600A includes afirst spectroscopic analyzer 612 a and first analyzer controller 614 a,a second spectroscopic analyzer 612 b and second analyzer controller 614b, a third spectroscopic analyzer 612 c and third analyzer controller614 c, a fourth spectroscopic analyzer 612 d and fourth analyzercontroller 614 d, and an n^(th) spectroscopic analyzer 612 n and ann^(th) analyzer controller 614 n. The respective analyzer controllers614 a-614 n may be configured to output respective output signals 38a-38 n, for example, as previously described herein. In someembodiments, although not shown in FIG. 6A, samples of each of theprocessed multi-component materials from the respective material tanks604 a through 604 n for analysis by the spectroscopic analyzers 612 athrough 612 n may first be conditioned prior to analysis, for example,as previously discussed herein. In some embodiments, the materials maynot be conditioned prior to being received at the spectroscopicanalyzers 612 a through 612 n. This may improve the accuracy of theresults of the analysis, as will be understood by those skilled in theart. In some embodiments, a material conditioning circuit may beprovided, for example, between the valves 608 a through 608 n and thespectroscopic analyzers 612 a through 612 n, to condition samples of theprocessed multi-component materials prior to analysis by thespectroscopic analyzers 612 a through 612 n to improve accuracy of theanalysis.

As shown in FIG. 6A, a manifold 616 may be provided downstream of thespectroscopic analyzers 612 a through 612 n for conveying a supply ofeach of the processed multi-component materials from the respectivematerial tanks 604 a through 604 n to the mixer 610, which may beconfigured to mix or blend each of the processed multi-componentmaterials according to specifications of a blending process. Althoughonly one conduit from the manifold 616 is shown extending from therespective spectroscopic analyzers 612 a through 612 n for clarity, themanifold 616 may include separate conduits extending from each of therespective spectroscopic analyzers 612 a through 612 n, for example, sothat the materials from the respective materials tanks 604 a through 604n remain separated until they reach the mixer 610. In some embodiments,the blended multi-component material may flow from the mixer 610 via aconduit 620 to additional processing units for downstream processing, toa finishing process, to storage tanks, to pipelines for transport, tomarine vessels for transport, etc., for example, as will be understoodby those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, a material pump 618may be provided downstream from the mixer 610 to pump via the conduit620 at least a portion of the blended multi-component material toadditional processing units for downstream processing to a finishingprocess, to storage tanks, to pipelines for transport, to marine vesselsfor transport, etc., for example, as will be understood by those skilledin the art. In some embodiments, the material pump 618 may be providedto supply at least a portion of the blended multi-component material toa blended material analysis circuit 622, for example, as explainedbelow.

As shown in FIG. 6A, the example processing arrangement 600A also mayinclude the blended material analysis circuit 622 configured tofacilitate analysis of the blended multi-component material downstreamof the mixer 610. For example, an analysis conduit 624 may provide aflow path between the conduit 620, a blend spectroscopic analyzer 626with an associated blend analyzer controller 628, and back to theconduit 620 via the analysis conduit 624. The blend analyzer controller628 may be configured to communicate output signals 38 e, for example,as described previously herein. A control valve 630 (manual and/orautomatically actuated) may be provided in the analysis conduit 624upstream of the blend spectroscopic analyzer 626 to selectively controlflow to the blend spectroscopic analyzer 626. Some embodiments may notinclude a control valve 630. In some embodiments, a materialconditioning circuit may be provided, for example, between the controlvalve 630 and the blend spectroscopic analyzer 626 to condition samplesof the blended multi-component material prior to analysis by the blendspectroscopic analyzer 626 to improve accuracy of the analysis. Once asample of the blended multi-component material has been analyzed by theblend spectroscopic analyzer 626, the sample may return to the conduit620 via the analysis conduit 624, for example, to flow to additionalprocessing units for downstream processing or to a finishing process.Some embodiments may include a sample recovery system 631 configured tofacilitate return of any analyzed sample(s) to the conduit 620. Forexample, the sample recovery system 631 may include a reservoirconfigured to receive a portion of the analyzed sample(s) and/or a pumpconfigured to pump a portion of the analyzed sample(s) back into theconduit 620. Other forms of sample recovery systems are contemplated.

In the example shown in FIG. 6A, each of the spectroscopic analyzers 612a through 612 n, the analyzer controllers 614 a through 614 n, the blendspectroscopic analyzer 626, and/or the blend analyzer controller 628 maybe in communication with a server 632, for example, via a hard-wired orwireless communications link according to known protocols, for example,such that the respective output signals 38 a-38 n (including 38 e) maybe communicated to the server 632. Although the output signals 38 athrough 38 n are shown as individually being communicated to the server632 independently of one another, in some examples, two or more of theoutput signals 38 a through 38 n may be combined prior to beingcommunicated to the server 632. For example, two or more (e.g., all) ofthe output signals 38 a through 38 n may be received at a singlereceiver, which in turn, communicates the two or more of the combinedsignals to the server 632. The server 632 may be in communication withone or more process controllers 634, which may be configured to at leastpartially control the blending process, for example, by generatingprocess control signals 636, which may be communicated to the one ormore material processing units 602 a through 602 n to at least partiallycontrol the material processing units 602 a through 602 n for processingof the multi-component materials. In some embodiments, the processcontroller(s) 634 also may be configured to receive one or more processparameters 638 and based at least partially on the process controlsignal(s) 636 and/or the process parameter(s) 638, output one or moreprocess control signal(s) 636 to at least partially control operation ofthe one or more material processing unit(s) 602 a through 602 n. Asshown, in some embodiments, the process controller(s) 634 may be incommunication with the valves 608 a through 608 n and/or the controlvalve 630 to selectively control dispensing of the processedmulti-component materials from the respective material tanks 604 athrough 604 n and/or to selectively control analysis of samples of theblended multi-component material.

In the example embodiment shown in FIG. 6A, the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers 612 a through 612 n may be used to analyze themulti-component materials resulting from respective material processes,prior to blending and/or after blending, and the results of the analysesmay be used prescriptively as an input to control one or more of thematerial processing unit(s) 602 a though 602 n performing each of thematerial processes, as well as an input to control the respectiveamounts (e.g., ratios) of each of the multi-component materialsresulting from the respective material processes that are supplied tothe blending process. In some embodiments, the analysis may be conductedin a laboratory setting. In some embodiments, the spectroscopicanalyzers 612 a through 612 n and/or 626 may perform one or more of therespective analyses real-time, as the material processes are performed,to provide relatively more responsive control of the material processes,potentially resulting in increased efficiencies and blendedmulti-component materials having a material content closer to desiredspecifications. In some embodiments, the spectroscopic analyzers 612 athrough 612 n and/or the blend spectroscopic analyzer 626 may becalibrated according to the standardized calibration techniquesdescribed herein, which may improve the accuracy, reproducibility,and/or consistency of the analyses by the spectroscopic analyzers.

FIG. 6B is a schematic diagram of another example material processingarrangement 600B using an example spectroscopic analyzer 627 with anexample analyzer controller 629 to prescriptively control the materialprocessing arrangement 600B according to embodiments of the disclosure.Relative to the example arrangement 600A shown in FIG. 6A, the examplearrangement 600B does not include a blending process, and thus, does notinclude a mixer or blender, and includes only a single material tank 604that may be from a single or multiple material processing unit(s) 602, aspectroscopic analyzer 627 and a corresponding analyzer controller 629,for example, downstream relative to the material supply pump 618. Someembodiments may not include a control valve 630. In some embodiments,the one or more material processing unit(s) 602 may receive materialfrom one or more material feeds and/or streams 640, for example, fromone or more feed material processing units, and the one or more processcontrol signal(s) 636 may be communicated to valve(s) associated withthe one or more material feed(s)/stream(s) 640 to control the supply ofthe material to the material processing unit(s) 602, such as, forexample, the ratio(s) of the material supplied by the one or morematerial feed(s)/stream(s) 640. In some embodiments, one or more of thematerial feed(s)/stream(s) 640 may be conveyed to the first materialtank 604 without being received at the one or more material processingunit(s) 602. In some embodiments, one or more of the material processingunit(s) 602 may be upstream relative to the block 640 schematicallydepicted in FIG. 6B, and the one or more material feed(s)/stream(s) 640may flow directly from the one or more upstream material processingunit(s) 602 to the first material tank 604. In some embodiments, thematerial supply pump 618 may be omitted. In other respects, the exampleprocessing arrangement 600B shown in FIG. 6B may be used to process andanalyze multi-component materials in substantially the same way as theexample arrangement 600A shown in FIG. 6A.

TEST RESULTS

FIG. 7A is a graph 700 illustrating an example first material spectrum702 outputted by a first spectroscopic analyzer of an examplemulti-component material and a second material spectrum 704 outputted bya second spectroscopic analyzer of the same multi-component materialoverlaid onto the first material spectrum according to embodiments ofthe disclosure. The example graph 700 shows absorbance as a function ofwavelength for each of the first and second material spectra 702 and704. As shown in FIG. 7A, although the first spectroscopic analyzer andthe second spectroscopic analyzer that outputted the first materialspectrum 702 and the second material spectrum 704, respectively, haveboth been calibrated, and the example multi-component material, agasoline blend, is the same for each spectrum, the first materialspectrum 702 and the second material spectrum 704 are not substantiallythe same to the observed variance. The region 706 identified in FIG. 7Ais shown in more detail in FIG. 7B to highlight differences between thefirst material spectrum 702 and the second material spectrum 704 in aregion corresponding to wavelengths ranging from about 1100 to about1300 nanometers.

FIG. 7B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths of aportion of the graph 700 shown in FIG. 7A, highlighting the variancebetween the two material spectra 702 and 704 shown in FIG. 7A, accordingto embodiments of the disclosure. For example, as shown in FIG. 7B, atany given wavelength of the first and second spectra 702 and 704 for thehighlighted range of wavelengths from about 1100 to about 1300nanometers, the magnitude of the absorbance differs. As depicted in FIG.7B, variance 1 shows the difference in absorbance magnitude between thefirst material spectrum 702 and the second material spectrum 704 atabout 1152 nanometers, and variance 2 shows the difference in absorbancemagnitude between the first material spectrum 702 and the secondmaterial spectrum 704 at about 1136 nanometers. As shown in FIG. 7B, thevariance is not constant across the range of wavelengths of the spectra702 and 704. As a result, the spectra 702 and 704 from the twospectroscopic analyzers are (1) different and thus not consistent withone another, and (2) may not be easily equated, for example, by simpleaddition or ratios, to directly compare the results of the two spectra702 and 704. Moreover, because the spectra 702 and 704 may be used todetermine properties of the multi-component material analyzed by bothspectroscopic analyzers, the properties predicted (or determined) fromthe two spectra 702 and 704 may substantially differ from each other,even though they might be expected to be the same, since the samemulti-component material was analyzed. As a result, if a manufacturingprocess is at least partially controlled based on results from aspectroscopic analysis, the resulting material obtained from the processmay be different, depending on which of the two spectroscopic analyzerswas used during the process.

FIG. 8A is a graph 800 illustrating another example first materialsecond derivative spectrum 802 (sometimes referred to as “the secondderivative of the spectrum) outputted by a first spectroscopic analyzerof an example multi-component material and a second material spectrum804 outputted by a second spectroscopic analyzer of the samemulti-component material overlaid onto the first material spectrum,according to embodiments of the disclosure. The example graph 800 showsthe second derivative of the absorbance as a function of wavelength foreach of the first and second material spectra 802 and 804. As shown inFIG. 8A, the example multi-component material, a gasoline blend (othermaterials are contemplated), is the same for each spectrum, but thefirst material second derivative spectrum 802 and the second materialsecond derivative spectrum 804 are not the same. The regions 806, 808,and 810 identified in FIG. 8A are shown in more detail in FIGS. 8B, 8C,and 8D, respectively, to highlight differences between the firstmaterial second derivative spectrum 802 and the second material secondderivative spectrum 804 in several regions of wavelengths.

FIG. 8B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1540 nanometers of a portion of the graph 800 shown inFIG. 8A of the second derivative spectrum and highlighting the variancebetween the two material spectra 802 and 804 shown in FIG. 8A, accordingto embodiments of the disclosure. As shown in FIG. 8B, variance 1 ishighlighted at a wavelength of about 1336 nanometers, and a variance 2is highlighted at a wavelength of about 1126 nanometers. Similar to theexample shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the variance (e.g., magnitude ofintensity) differs as a function of wavelength.

FIG. 8C is a blow-up view of another example range of wavelengths fromabout 1100 to about 1300 nanometers of a portion of the graph 800 shownin FIG. 8A of the second derivative spectrum and highlighting thevariance between the two material spectra 802 and 804 shown in FIG. 8A,according to embodiments of the disclosure. As shown in FIG. 8C, anexample variance 1 is highlighted at a wavelength of about 1125nanometers, and an example variance 2 is highlighted at a wavelength ofabout 1220 nanometers. Similar to the example shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B,the variance (e.g., magnitude of intensity) differs as a function ofwavelength.

FIG. 8D is a blow-up view of yet another example range of wavelengthsfrom about 1100 to about 1250 nanometers of a portion of the graph 800shown in FIG. 8A of the second derivative spectrum and highlighting thevariance between the two material spectra shown in FIG. 8A, according toembodiments of the disclosure. In the example in FIG. 8D, the firstmaterial second derivative spectrum 802 and the second material secondderivative spectrum 804 cross between variance 1 and variance 2identified in FIG. 8D. In particular, the first material secondderivative spectrum 802 has a higher intensity at about 1145 nanometersthan the second material second derivative spectrum 804, while thesecond material second derivative spectrum 804 has a higher intensity atabout 1185 nanometers than the first material second derivative spectrum802. This highlights that the magnitude of the variance may fluctuate asa function of wavelength.

FIG. 9A is a graph 900 illustrating examples of first-state materialspectrum 902 and a second-state material spectrum 904 outputted by afirst-state and a second-state spectroscopic analyzer of an examplemulti-component material, and a third (or corrected) material spectrum906 representing a corrected material spectrum outputted to cause thesecond-state material spectrum 904 to be consistent with the first-statematerial spectrum 902 according to embodiments of the disclosure. Insome embodiments, the first-state material spectrum 902, thesecond-state material spectrum 904, and the third material spectrum 906may be output by the same spectroscopic analyzer. For example, thefirst-state material spectrum 902 may be output by a spectroscopicanalyzer following calibration and/or output of a standardized analyzerportfolio spectrum (e.g., as described previously herein), and thesecond-state material spectrum 904 may be output by the samespectroscopic analyzer following a change (e.g., such as service and/orpart replacement) to the spectroscopic analyzer and subsequent analysisof second-state portfolio samples, for example, as previously describedherein. In some embodiments, the first-state material spectrum 902 maybe output by a first spectroscopic analyzer following calibration and/oroutput of a standardized analyzer portfolio spectrum (e.g., as describedpreviously herein), and the second-state material spectrum 904 may beoutput by a second spectroscopic analyzer in the second state, forexample, as previously described herein. The third material spectrum 906may be output by the second spectroscopic analyzer following analysis ofsecond-state portfolio samples and applying second portfoliosample-based corrections to the second-state material spectrum 904, forexample, as previously described herein. The third material spectrum 906is a second-state material spectrum 904 having the corrections appliedto be consistent with (e.g., similar to, substantially match, besubstantially equivalent to, or be substantially the same as) thefirst-state material spectrum 902. The example multi-component materialmay be the same material (e.g., one, two, or three samples of the samematerial) analyzed to result in output of the first-state materialspectrum 902, the second-state material spectrum 904, and the thirdmaterial spectrum 906.

The example graph 900 shows absorbance as a function of wavelength foreach of the first-state material, second-state material, and thirdmaterial spectra 902, 904, and 906. In the examples shown, the secondspectroscopic analyzer has been provided with a standardized calibrationbased on the calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer, forexample, in a manner consistent with embodiments disclosed herein. Inthe examples shown in FIGS. 9A-9E, it is difficult to distinguish thebetween the first-state material spectrum 902 and the third (orcorrected) material spectrum 906 in the usable ranges, as can be easilyidentified by those skilled in the art. The third material spectrum 906has been outputted according some embodiments described herein bystandardizing calibration of the second spectroscopic analyzer based onthe calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer to provide secondspectroscopic analyzer results consistent with the first spectroscopicanalyzer, as shown by the third (or corrected) material spectrum 906substantially matching the first material spectrum 902.

For example, FIG. 9B is a blow-up view of an example range ofwavelengths from about 1100 to about 2100 nanometers of a portion 908 ofthe graph 900 shown in FIG. 9A, highlighting the variance between thefirst-state material spectrum 902 and the second-state material spectrum904 shown in FIG. 9A, and showing the similarity of the third materialspectrum 906 to the first-state material spectrum 902, according toembodiments of the disclosure. The second-state material spectrum 904deviates or varies from the first-state material spectrum 902 as shownat various wavelength locations along the spectra 902 and 904. As notedabove, the third material spectrum 906 substantially matches thefirst-state material spectrum 902, indicating the correction to thesecond-state material spectrum 904 results in the “corrected”second-state material spectrum 904 (i.e., the third material spectrum906) being consistent with (e.g., substantially the same as) thefirst-state material spectrum 902.

FIG. 9C is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1550 nanometers of a portion 910 of the graph 900 shown inFIG. 9A highlighting the variance between the first-state materialspectrum 902 and the second-state material spectrum 904 shown in FIG.9A, and the similarity of the third material spectrum 906 to thefirst-state material spectrum 902, according to embodiments of thedisclosure.

FIG. 9D is a blow-up view of another example range of wavelengths fromabout 1100 to about 1300 nanometers of a portion 912 of the graph 900shown in FIG. 9A, highlighting the variance between the first-statematerial spectrum 902 and the second-state material spectrum 904 shownin FIG. 9A, and the similarity of the third material spectrum 906 to thefirst-state material spectrum 902, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. In this portion 912 of the graph 900, the variance betweenthe second-state material spectrum 904 and the first-state materialspectrum 902, while the first-state material spectrum 902 and the thirdmaterial spectrum 906 are substantially indistinguishable, and thus areconsistent with one another.

FIG. 9E is a blow-up view of the first-state material spectrum 902, thesecond-state material spectrum 904, and the third material spectrum 906of another example range of wavelengths from about 1100 to about 1184nanometers of a portion 914 of the graph 900 shown in FIG. 9A, accordingto embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 9E highlights the variancebetween the first-state material spectrum 902 and the second-statematerial spectrum 904, and the similarity of the third material spectrum906 to the first-state material spectrum 902.

FIG. 10A is a graph 1000 illustrating examples of a first-state materialsecond derivative spectrum 1002 and a second-state material secondderivative spectrum 1004 output by respective first and secondspectroscopic analyzers of another example multi-component material, anda third (or corrected) material second derivative spectrum 1006representing a corrected material second derivative spectrum output tocause the second-state material second derivative spectrum 1004 tosubstantially match the first-state material second derivative spectrum1002, according to embodiments of the disclosure. The example graph 1000shows the second derivative of the absorbance as a function ofwavelength for each of the first-state material second derivative,second-state material second derivative, and third material secondderivative spectra 1002, 1004, and 1006. In the examples shown, thesecond spectroscopic analyzer has been provided with spectral modelsbased on the calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer, forexample, in a manner consistent with embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 10B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1550 of a portion 1008 of the graph 1000 shown in FIG. 10Aof the second derivative spectrum, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. FIG. 10B highlights the variance between the first-statematerial second derivative spectrum 1002 and the second-state materialsecond derivative spectrum 1004 shown in FIG. 10A, and the similarity ofthe third material second derivative spectrum 1006 to the first-statematerial second derivative spectrum 1002.

FIG. 10C is a blow-up view of another example range of wavelengths fromabout 1100 to about 1300 of a portion 1010 of the graph 1000 shown inFIG. 10A of the second derivative spectra. FIG. 10C highlights thevariance between the first-state material second derivative spectrum1002 and the second-state material second derivative spectrum 1004 shownin FIG. 10A, and the similarity of the third material second derivativespectrum 1006 to the first-state material second derivative spectrum1002, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 11A is a graph 1100 illustrating examples of first-state andsecond-state material spectra 1102 and 1104 outputted by respectivefirst and second spectroscopic analyzers of another examplemulti-component material, and a third (or corrected) material spectrum1106 representing a corrected material spectrum outputted to cause thesecond-state material spectrum 1104 to be consistent with thefirst-state material spectrum 1102, according to embodiments of thedisclosure. The example graph 1100 shows absorbance as a function ofwavelength for each of the first-state material spectrum 1102, thesecond-state material spectrum 1104, and third material spectrum 1106.In the examples shown, the second spectroscopic analyzer has beenprovided with one or more spectral models based on the calibration ofthe first spectroscopic analyzer, for example, in a manner consistentwith embodiments disclosed herein. In the examples shown in FIGS. 11Aand 11B, it is difficult to distinguish between the first-state materialspectrum 1102 and the third (or corrected) material spectrum 1106. Thethird material spectrum 1106 has been corrected by the portfoliosampled-based corrections determined, for example, according to someembodiments described herein, such that the second spectroscopicanalyzer provides results consistent with the first spectroscopicanalyzer, as shown by the third (or corrected) material spectrum 1106substantially matching the first-state material spectrum 1102.

FIG. 11B is a blow-up view of the first-state material spectrum 1102,the second-state material spectrum 1104, and the third material spectrum1106 of another example range of wavelengths from about 1100 to about1184 nanometers of a portion 1108 of the graph 1100 shown in FIG. 11A.FIG. 11B highlights the variance between the first-state materialspectrum 1102 and the second-state material spectrum 1104, and thesimilarity of the third material spectrum 1106 to the first-statematerial spectrum 1102, according to embodiments of the disclosure.

Applicant tested the methods and assemblies according to at least someembodiments described herein by first analyzing a plurality of samplesof the same multi-component material, gasoline (both the research octanenumber (RON) and the motor octane number (MON)), in five differentspectroscopic analyzers, each calibrated by analyzing a first set ofdifferent multi-component samples in a first-state to determine thedifferences between the spectra outputted by each of the five analyzers,even though the multi-component material tested was the same for each ofthe spectroscopic analyzers.

Thereafter, each of the second through fifth spectroscopic analyzers wasprovided with one or more spectral models based on the calibration ofthe first spectroscopic analyzer in the first state, with the firstspectroscopic analyzer acting as a primary spectroscopic analyzer. Inparticular, each of the second through fifth spectroscopic analyzersused a standardized analyzer spectra portfolio to determine portfoliosample-based corrections, and each of the second through fifthspectroscopic analyzers analyzed a second set of multi-component samplesto output respective second-state portfolio sample spectra. Thereafter,each of the second through fifth spectroscopic analyzers outputtedrespective portfolio sample-based corrections based on the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio of the first spectroscopic analyzer (e.g.,based on variances between the respective first-state portfolio samplespectra of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio and thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra), resulting in the second throughfifth spectroscopic analyzers being capable of analyzing multi-componentmaterials and generating corrected spectral responses and/or correctedmaterial spectra outputted for each of the multi-component materialsanalyzed.

Table 1 below provides testing results comparing the performance of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer with the performance of the secondspectroscopic analyzer when analyzing gasoline samples for RON. Each ofthe first spectroscopic analyzer and the second spectroscopic analyzeranalyzed eleven samples (A-K). The column with the heading “First-StateAnalyzer 1” shows the testing results for the first spectroscopicanalyzer for each of the eleven samples tested. The column with theheading “Analyzer 2 Uncorrected” shows the testing results for thesecond spectroscopic analyzer calibrated by analyzing the first set ofmulti-component samples according to at least some embodiments describedherein to place the second spectroscopic analyzer in the first state.The column with the heading “Difference” shows the difference betweenthe predicted or determined result using the spectrum outputted by thefirst spectroscopic analyzer for the indicated sample in the first stateand the corresponding predicted or determined result using the spectrumoutputted by the second spectroscopic analyzer for the indicated samplewhile in the second state. The column with the heading “Analyzer 2Corrected” shows the testing results for the second spectroscopicanalyzer in the second state based on the standardized analyzer spectraportfolio, and the column with the heading “Difference (Corrected)”shows the difference between the predicted or determined result usingthe spectrum outputted by the first spectroscopic analyzer for theindicated sample and the corresponding predicted or determined resultusing the spectrum outputted by the second spectroscopic analyzer in thesecond state after the correction is applied (e.g., the portfoliosample-based corrections).

Tables 2-4 provide similar corresponding testing results for the thirdthrough fifth spectroscopic analyzers when testing the same elevengasoline samples for RON, and Tables 5-8 provide similar correspondingtesting results for the second through fifth spectroscopic analyzerswhen testing the same eleven gasoline samples for MON.

As shown in Table 1 below, when provided with the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the testing results for RONprovided by the first and second spectroscopic analyzers wassignificantly reduced. For example, with the conventional modeltransfer, the difference between the results for the two analyzersranged from 0.98 to 1.23. By comparison, following receipt of thestandardized calibration based on the calibration of the firstspectroscopic analyzer, and using the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the results for the two analyzersranged from −0.07 to 0.18. This represents a reduction in the differencebetween the predicted or determined results from the two spectroscopicanalyzers, showing substantially consistent results between the twospectroscopic analyzers, for example, based on the statistical errorsassociated with a given property, which is Research Octane Number (RON)in this example. Spectral variance may affect each model in its owncapacity. In some embodiments, spectral variance, which may affect theperformance of a given spectral model beyond the expected consistency,may be reduced or eliminated, for example, when compared to thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra, and/or consistency in results maymean having results agree within an expected statistical error for agiven property.

TABLE 1 First- Analyzer Analyzer Difference RON State 2 Uncor- 2 Cor-(Cor- Sample Analyzer 1 rected Difference rected rected) A 92.6 93.671.07 92.62 0.02 B 92.72 93.72 1.00 92.67 −0.05 C 84.65 85.64 0.99 84.58−0.07 D 84.51 85.59 1.08 84.54 0.03 E 84.35 85.58 1.23 84.53 0.18 F82.82 83.89 1.07 82.84 0.02 G 85.74 86.81 1.07 85.76 0.02 H 87.19 88.321.13 87.27 0.08 I 87.82 88.8 0.98 87.75 −0.07 J 89.75 90.86 1.11 89.810.06 K 91.08 92.16 1.08 91.11 0.03

In some embodiments, a variance may exist when the difference (e.g.,positive or negative), at one or more wavelengths and/or over a range ofwavelengths, between the magnitude of the first-state portfolio samplespectra and the magnitude of the second-state portfolio sample spectrais greater than or equal to about 0.05% of the magnitude of thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra, for example, greater than or equalto about 0.15% of the magnitude of the first-state portfolio samplespectra, greater than or equal to about 0.25% of the magnitude of thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra, greater than or equal to about0.50% of the magnitude of the first-state portfolio sample spectra,greater than or equal to about 0.75% of the magnitude of the first-stateportfolio sample spectra, greater than or equal to about 1.00% of themagnitude of the first-state portfolio sample spectra, greater than orequal to about 2.00% of the magnitude of the first-state portfoliosample spectra, greater than or equal to about 5.00% of the magnitude ofthe first-state portfolio sample spectra, greater than or equal to about7.50% of the magnitude of the first-state portfolio sample spectra, orgreater than or equal to about 10.00% of the magnitude of thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra. In some embodiments, reducing thevariance at the one or more wavelengths and/or over the range ofwavelengths, such that the magnitude of the first-state portfolio samplespectra and the magnitude of the second-state portfolio sample spectraare substantially consistent with one another, may result in thevariance being reduced by greater than or equal to about 2%, forexample, greater than or equal to about 5%, greater than or equal toabout 10%, greater than or equal to about 20%, greater than or equal toabout 30%, greater than or equal to about 40%, greater than or equal toabout 50%, greater than or equal to about 65%, greater than or equal toabout 75%, greater than or equal to about 80%, greater than or equal toabout 85%, greater than or equal to about 90%, greater than or equal toabout 95%, or greater than or equal to about 98%.

In some embodiments, the above-noted example variances and/or examplevariance reductions may apply to the first-state portfolio samplespectra and the second-state portfolio sample spectra when transformed,for example, via mathematical manipulation. For example, the above-notedexample variances and/or example variance reductions may apply when thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra and the second-state portfoliosample spectra have been transformed by, for example, addition,multiplication, taking one or more derivatives thereof, and/or othermathematically-derived relationships.

As shown in Table 2 below, when provided with the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the testing results for RONprovided by the first and third spectroscopic analyzers wassignificantly reduced. For example, with the conventional modeltransfer, the difference between the results for the two analyzersranged from 2.05 to 2.39. By comparison, following receipt of thestandardized calibration based on the calibration of the firstspectroscopic analyzer, and using the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the results for the two analyzersranged from −0.42 to −0.08. This represents a reduction in thedifference between the predicted or determined results from the twospectroscopic analyzers, showing substantially consistent resultsbetween the two spectroscopic analyzers.

TABLE 2 First- Analyzer Analyzer Difference RON State 3 Uncor- 3 Cor-(Cor- Sample Analyzer 1 rected Difference rected rected) A 92.60 94.682.08 92.21 −0.39 B 92.72 94.77 2.05 92.30 −0.42 C 84.65 86.93 2.28 84.45−0.20 D 84.51 86.90 2.39 84.43 −0.08 E 84.35 86.69 2.34 84.21 −0.14 F82.82 85.18 2.36 82.70 −0.12 G 85.74 88.06 2.32 85.59 −0.15 H 87.1989.55 2.36 87.08 −0.11 I 87.82 89.95 2.13 87.47 −0.35 J 89.75 91.89 2.1489.41 −0.34 K 91.08 93.18 2.10 90.71 −0.37

As shown in Table 3 below, when provided with the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the testing results for RONprovided by the first and fourth spectroscopic analyzers wassignificantly reduced. For example, with the conventional modeltransfer, the difference between the results for the two analyzersranged from −0.93 to −1.17. By comparison, following receipt of thestandardized calibration based on the calibration of the firstspectroscopic analyzer, and using the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the results for the two analyzersranged from −0.25 to 0. This represents a reduction in the differencebetween the predicted or determined results from the two spectroscopicanalyzers, showing substantially consistent results between the twospectroscopic analyzers

TABLE 3 First- Analyzer Analyzer Difference RON State 4 Uncor- 4 Cor-(Cor- Sample Analyzer 1 rected Difference rected rected) A 92.60 91.50−1.10 92.43 −0.17 B 92.72 91.55 −1.17 92.48 −0.24 C 84.65 83.68 −0.9784.60 −0.05 D 84.51 83.58 −0.93 84.51 0.00 E 84.35 83.38 −0.97 84.31−0.04 F 82.82 81.83 −0.99 82.76 −0.06 G 85.74 84.72 −1.02 85.64 −0.10 H87.19 86.19 −1.00 87.12 −0.07 I 87.82 86.65 −1.17 87.57 −0.25 J 89.7588.64 −1.11 89.57 −0.18 K 91.08 89.92 −1.16 90.85 −0.23

As shown in Table 4 below, when provided with the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the testing results for RONprovided by the first and fifth spectroscopic analyzers was reduced. Forexample, with the conventional model transfer, the difference betweenthe results for the two analyzers ranged from 1.28 to 2.29. Bycomparison, following receipt of the standardized calibration based onthe calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer, and using theportfolio sample-based correction(s), the difference between the resultsfor the two analyzers ranged from −0.86 to 0.16. This represents anobserved reduction in the difference between the predicted or determinedresults from the two spectroscopic analyzers. The relatively mildreduction in the difference when compared to the second through fourthspectroscopic analyzers (Analyzer 2, Analyzer 3, and Analyzer 4) may beat least partially attributed the fifth spectroscopic analyzer being adifferent type of analyzer than the first through fourth spectroscopicanalyzers.

TABLE 4 First- Analyzer Analyzer Difference RON State 5 Uncor- 5 Cor-(Cor- Sample Analyzer 1 rected Difference rected rected) A 92.60 94.872.27 92.74 0.14 B 92.72 95.01 2.29 92.88 0.16 C 84.65 86.04 1.39 83.91−0.74 D 84.51 86.02 1.51 83.89 −0.62 E 84.35 85.72 1.37 83.59 −0.76 F82.82 84.10 1.28 81.96 −0.86 G 85.74 87.29 1.55 85.15 −0.59 H 87.1988.92 1.73 86.79 −0.4 I 87.82 89.38 1.56 87.24 −0.58 J 89.75 91.67 1.9289.54 −0.21 K 91.08 93.14 2.06 91.01 −0.07

As shown in Table 5 below, when provided with the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the testing results for MONprovided by the first and second spectroscopic analyzers wassignificantly reduced. For example, with the conventional modeltransfer, the difference between the results for the two analyzersranged from 1.3 to 1.5. By comparison, following receipt of thestandardized calibration based on the calibration of the firstspectroscopic analyzer, and using the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the results for the two analyzersranged from −0.08 to 0.13. This represents a reduction in the differencebetween the predicted or determined results from the two spectroscopicanalyzers, showing substantially consistent results between the twospectroscopic analyzers.

TABLE 5 First- Analyzer Analyzer Difference MON State 2 Uncor- 2 Cor-(Cor- Sample Analyzer 1 rected Difference rected rected) A 86.45 87.841.39 86.46 0.01 B 86.47 87.82 1.35 86.44 −0.03 C 78.37 79.72 1.35 78.34−0.03 D 78.86 80.20 1.34 78.82 −0.04 E 78.35 79.83 1.48 78.45 0.10 F78.11 79.47 1.36 78.09 −0.02 G 79.76 81.06 1.30 79.68 −0.08 H 81.3882.79 1.41 81.41 0.03 I 82.31 83.64 1.33 82.26 −0.05 J 83.52 85.02 1.5083.65 0.13 K 84.97 86.43 1.46 85.06 0.09

As shown in Table 6 below, when provided with the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the testing results for MONprovided by the first and third spectroscopic analyzers wassignificantly reduced. For example, with the conventional modeltransfer, the difference between the predicted or determined resultsfrom the two analyzers ranged from 2.96 to 3.41. By comparison,following receipt of the standardized calibration based on thecalibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer, and using the portfoliosample-based correction(s), the difference between the results for thetwo analyzers ranged from −0.48 to −0.02. This represents a reduction inthe difference between the predicted or determined results from the twospectroscopic analyzers, showing substantially consistent resultsbetween the two spectroscopic analyzers.

TABLE 6 First- Analyzer Analyzer Difference MON State 3 Uncor- 3 Cor-(Cor- Sample Analyzer 1 rected Difference rected rected) A 86.45 89.422.97 85.99 −0.46 B 86.47 89.43 2.96 85.99 −0.48 C 78.37 81.78 3.41 78.34−0.03 D 78.86 82.27 3.41 78.84 −0.02 E 78.35 81.76 3.41 78.32 −0.03 F78.11 81.43 3.32 78.00 −0.11 G 79.76 83.02 3.26 79.59 −0.17 H 81.3884.67 3.29 81.23 −0.15 I 82.31 85.37 3.06 81.94 −0.37 J 83.52 86.63 3.1183.20 −0.32 K 84.97 87.97 3.00 84.54 −0.43

As shown in Table 7 below, when provided with the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the testing results for MONprovided by the first and fourth spectroscopic analyzers was notsubstantially improved, as the initial difference between the predictedor determined results before correction was small. For example, with theconventional model transfer, the difference between the predicted ordetermined results from the two analyzers ranged from −0.05 to 0.21. Bycomparison, following receipt of the standardized calibration based onthe calibration of the first spectroscopic analyzer, and using theportfolio sample-based correction(s), the difference between thepredicted or determined results from the two analyzers ranged from −0.23to 0.03.

TABLE 7 First- Analyzer Analyzer Difference MON State 4 Uncor- 4 Cor-(Cor- Sample Analyzer 1 rected Difference rected rected) A 86.45 86.43−0.02 86.25 −0.20 B 86.47 86.42 −0.05 86.24 −0.23 C 78.37 78.57 0.2078.39 0.02 D 78.86 79.07 0.21 78.89 0.03 E 78.35 78.54 0.19 78.36 0.01 F78.11 78.28 0.17 78.09 −0.02 G 79.76 79.80 0.04 79.62 −0.14 H 81.3881.47 0.09 81.29 −0.09 I 82.31 82.26 −0.05 82.08 −0.23 J 83.52 83.520.00 83.34 −0.18 K 84.97 84.92 −0.05 84.74 −0.23

As shown in Table 8 below, when provided with the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the difference between the testing results for MONprovided by the first and fifth spectroscopic analyzers was reduced. Forexample, with the conventional model transfer, the difference betweenthe predicted or determined results from the two analyzers ranged from−1.98 to −1.11. By comparison, following receipt of the standardizedcalibration based on the calibration of the first spectroscopicanalyzer, and using the portfolio sample-based correction(s), thedifference between the predicted or determined results from the twoanalyzers ranged from −0.55 to 0.33. This represents a reduction in thedifference between the predicted or determined results of the twospectroscopic analyzers, showing substantially consistent resultsbetween the two spectroscopic analyzers.

TABLE 8 First- Analyzer Analyzer Difference MON State 5 Uncor- 5 Cor-(Cor- Sample Analyzer 1 rected Difference rected rected) A 86.45 85.31−1.14 86.74 0.29 B 86.47 85.36 −1.11 86.80 0.33 C 78.37 76.43 −1.9477.86 −0.51 D 78.86 76.99 −1.87 78.43 −0.43 E 78.35 76.37 −1.98 77.80−0.55 F 78.11 76.13 −1.98 77.56 −0.55 G 79.76 77.91 −1.85 79.35 −0.41 H81.38 79.72 −1.66 81.15 −0.23 I 82.31 80.60 −1.71 82.03 −0.28 J 83.5282.13 −1.39 83.56 0.04 K 84.97 83.69 −1.28 85.12 0.15

The graphs shown in FIGS. 12A-12F and FIGS. 13A-13F depict overlayingspectra of a single sample analyzed on five different spectroscopicanalyzers (i.e., sample A in each of Tables 1-8). The predicted ordetermined results are included in Tables 1-8 above.

FIG. 12A is a graph 1200 illustrating examples of first through fifthmaterial spectra 1202 through 1210 output by respective first throughfifth spectroscopic analyzers of an example multi-component material,gasoline. In this example, the first material spectrum 1202 is afirst-state material spectrum output by a first spectroscopic analyzerin the first state. The second through fifth material spectra 1204-1210are second-state material spectra output by the respective secondthrough fifth spectroscopic analyzers, each in the second state. Thefirst through fourth of the spectroscopic analyzers are of a first typeof spectroscopic analyzer, and the fifth spectroscopic analyzer is ananalyzer of a different type than the first type of analyzer. Theexample graph 1200 shows absorbance as a function of wavelength for eachof the first through fifth material spectra 1202 through 1210. As shownin FIG. 12A, although the first through fifth spectroscopic analyzershave been calibrated, and the example multi-component material,gasoline, is the same for each spectrum (i.e., taken from the samegasoline sample), the first through fifth material spectra 1202 through1210 are not the same, exhibiting variance across the range ofwavelengths shown.

FIG. 12B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1550 of a portion 1212 of the graph 1200 shown in FIG.12A, according to embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 12B highlights thevariances between material spectra 1202 through 1210 outputtedrespectively by the first through fifth spectroscopic analyzers shown inFIG. 12A.

FIG. 12C is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1300 of a portion 1214 of the graph 1200 shown in FIG.12A, according to embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 12C furtherhighlights the variances between material spectra 1202 through 1210outputted respectively by the first through fifth spectroscopicanalyzers shown in FIG. 12A.

FIG. 12D is a graph 1250 illustrating examples of a material spectra1252 through 1260 outputted by the respective first through fifthspectroscopic analyzers of the same example multi-component material ofFIGS. 12A-12C, gasoline, wherein the spectral responses of each of thesecond through fifth spectroscopic analyzers have been standardized withthe spectral response of the first spectroscopic analyzer usingrespective portfolio sample-based correction(s), according to at leastsome embodiments described previously herein. As shown in FIG. 12D, thesecond through fifth spectroscopic analyzers, once provided with therespective portfolio sample-based correction(s), output respectivespectra that are generally consistent with the spectrum output by thefirst spectroscopic analyzer and the respective spectra output by oneanother (e.g., without significant variance), for example, such therespective spectra 1252 through 1260 are indistinguishable from oneanother for most wavelengths and/or ranges of wavelengths (e.g.,wavelengths and/or ranges of wavelengths that would be applicable asidentified by those skilled in the art).

FIG. 12E is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1550 of a portion 1262 of the graph 1250 shown in FIG.12D, according to embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 12E highlights therelative lack of variance between material spectra 1252 through 1260outputted respectively by the first through fifth material spectroscopicanalyzers through the range of wavelengths shown in FIG. 12D.

FIG. 12F is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1300 of a portion 1264 of the graph 1250 shown in FIG.12D, according to embodiments of the disclosure. Once again, FIG. 12Fhighlights the relative lack of variance between material spectra 1252through 1260 outputted respectively by the first through fifthspectroscopic analyzers through the range of wavelengths shown in FIG.12F.

FIG. 13A is a graph 1300 illustrating the respective second derivativespectra of a material spectra 1202 through 1210 of FIGS. 12A through 12Coutputted by the respective first through fifth spectroscopic analyzers.The respective second derivative first through fifth spectra areidentified in FIGS. 13A through 13C as 1302 through 1310, respectively.The example graph 1300 shows the second derivative of absorbance as afunction of wavelength for each of the material spectra 1302 through1310 outputted respectively by the first through fifth spectroscopicanalyzers. As shown in FIG. 13A, although the first spectroscopicanalyzer and respective analyzer controller has been calibrated, and thesecond through fifth spectroscopic analyzers and respective analyzercontrollers have been provided with a common spectral model, and theexample multi-component material, gasoline, is the same for eachspectrum (i.e., taken from the same gasoline sample), the secondderivative first through fifth spectra 1302 through 1310 are not thesame, exhibiting variance across the range of wavelengths shown.

FIG. 13B is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1550 of a portion 1312 of the graph 1300 shown in FIG.13A, according to embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 13B highlights thevariances between the second derivative of the first through fifthspectra 1302 through 1310 shown in FIG. 13A.

FIG. 13C is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1300 of a portion 1314 of the graph 1300 shown in FIG.13A, according to embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 13C furtherhighlights the variances between the second derivative of the firstthrough fifth spectra 1302 through 1310 shown in FIG. 13A.

FIG. 13D is a graph 1350 illustrating examples of the second derivativematerial spectra 1352 through 1360 outputted by respective first throughfifth spectroscopic analyzers of the same example multi-componentmaterial of FIGS. 13A-13C, gasoline, wherein each of the respectivesecond through fifth spectroscopic analyzers standardized with thespectral response of the first spectroscopic analyzer using respectiveportfolio sample-based correction(s), according to at least someembodiments described previously herein. As shown in FIG. 13D, thesecond through fifth spectroscopic analyzers, once provided with therespective portfolio sample-based correction(s), output respectivespectra that are generally consistent with the spectrum output by thefirst spectroscopic analyzer and the respective spectra output by oneanother, for example, such the respective spectra 1352 through 1360 areindistinguishable from one another for most wavelengths and/or ranges ofwavelengths (e.g., wavelengths and/or ranges of wavelengths that wouldbe applicable as identified by those skilled in the art).

FIG. 13E is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1550 of a portion 1362 of the graph 1350 shown in FIG.13D, according to embodiments of the disclosure. FIG. 13E highlights therelative lack of variance between the second derivative first throughfifth spectra 1352 through 1360 through the range of wavelengths shownin FIG. 13D.

FIG. 13F is a blow-up view of an example range of wavelengths from about1100 to about 1300 of a portion 1364 of the graph 1350 shown in FIG.13D, according to embodiments of the disclosure. Once again, FIG. 13Fhighlights the relative lack of variance between the second derivativefirst through fifth spectra 1352 through 1360 through the range ofwavelengths shown in FIG. 13F.

FIGS. 14A, 14B, 15A, 15B, 16A, 16B, and 16C are process flow diagramsillustrating example processes for determining and using standardizedanalyzer spectral responses for calibration of one or more spectroscopicanalyzers according to embodiments of the disclosure, illustrated ascollections of blocks in logical flow graphs, which represent respectiveexample sequences of operations. In the context of software, the blocksrepresent computer-executable instructions stored on one or morecomputer-readable storage media that, when executed by one or moreprocessors, perform the recited operations. Generally,computer-executable instructions include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, and the like that perform particularfunctions or implement particular data types. The order in which theoperations are described is not intended to be construed as alimitation, and any number of the described blocks can be combined inany order and/or in parallel to implement the methods.

FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B show a block diagram of an example method 1400 fordetermining and using standardized analyzer spectral responses forcalibration of a spectroscopic analyzer when a spectroscopic analyzerchanges from a first state to a second state according to embodiments ofthe disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 14A, at 1402, the example process 1400 may includeanalyzing, via the spectroscopic analyzer, a plurality of samples from aset of multi-component samples to output first-state sample spectra, forexample, as previously described herein.

The example process 1400, at 1404, may further include developing one ormore spectral models for the spectroscopic analyzer based at least inpart on the first-state sample spectra and corresponding sample data,for example, as previously described herein.

At 1406, the example process 1400 still further may include outputtingor developing an analyzer calibration based at least in part on thespectral model(s), for example, as previously described herein. In someexamples, development of the spectral models and development of theanalyzer calibration may be substantially concurrent and/orindistinguishable from one another.

The example process 1400, at 1408, also may include analyzingfirst-state portfolio samples to output a standardized analyzer spectraportfolio including one or more first-state portfolio sample spectra,for example, as previously described herein.

At 1410, the example process 1400 further may include using thespectroscopic analyzer to analyze multi-component material to outputmaterial spectra and predict material properties associated with theanalyzed multi-component material, for example, as previously describedherein.

The example process 1400, at 1412, still further may include determiningwhether the spectroscopic analyzer has been changed and/or needs to becalibrated or recalibrated, for example, as previously described herein.If at 1412 it is determined that the spectroscopic analyzer has not beenchanged and/or does not need calibration or recalibration, the exampleprocess 1400 may return to 1410 to be used to analyze multi-componentmaterials. If at 1412 it is determined that the spectroscopic analyzerhas been changed and/or needs calibration or recalibration, the exampleprocess 1400 may proceed to 1414 (see FIG. 14A) for calibration orrecalibration of the spectroscopic analyzer.

At 1414, the example process 1400 further may include analyzing, via thespectroscopic analyzer in a second state, second-state portfolio samplesto output second-state portfolio sample spectra, for example, aspreviously described herein.

The example process 1400, at 1416, also may include comparing one ormore of the second-state portfolio sample spectra to the first-stateportfolio sample spectra (see FIG. 14A, 1408 ), for example, aspreviously described herein.

As shown in FIG. 14B, which depicts an example continuation of theexample process 1400 shown in FIG. 14A, at 1418, the example process1400 further may include determining whether there is a substantialvariance between the second-state portfolio sample spectra and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra, for example, as previouslydescribed herein. In some embodiments, the variance may be determinedover one or more ranges of wavelengths, ranges of frequencies, and/orranges of wavenumbers between the second-state portfolio sample spectraand the first-state portfolio sample spectra.

If at 1418, it is determined that there is no substantial variance, theexample process 1400 may return to 1410 (see FIG. 14A), and thespectroscopic analyzer may be used to analyze multi-component materials.If at 1418, it is determined that there is a substantial variance, theexample process 1400 may proceed to 1420.

The example process 1400, at 1420, may include determining and/oroutputting, based at least in part on the variance between thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra and the first-state portfoliosample spectra, portfolio sample-based correction(s) to reduce thevariance between the second-state portfolio sample spectra and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra, for example, as previouslydescribed herein.

At 1422, the example process 1400 also may include analyzing, via thespectroscopic analyzer when in the second state, material (e.g.,multi-component material) received from a material source to outputmaterial spectra, for example, as previously described herein.

At 1424, the example process 1400 further may include transforming,based at least in part on the portfolio sample-based correction(s), thematerial spectra to determine corrected material spectra for thematerials, for example, as previously described herein.

The example process 1400, at 1426 also may include predicting one ormore material properties for the materials based at least in part on thecorrected material spectra and/or a mathematical treatment thereof, forexample, as previously described herein.

At 1428, the example process 1400 further may include returning to 1412(see FIG. 14A) to determine whether the spectroscopic analyzer has beenchanged and/or needs to be calibrated or recalibrated, for example, aspreviously described herein.

FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B show a block diagram of an example method 1500 forusing standardized analyzer spectral responses from a firstspectroscopic analyzer for calibration or recalibration of a secondspectroscopic analyzer in the second state according to embodiments ofthe disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 15A, at 1502, the example process 1500 may includedetermining whether a second spectroscopic analyzer has been providedwith spectral mode(s) and has portfolio sample-based correction(s), sothat spectral responses of the second spectroscopic analyzer arestandardized with the spectral responses of a first spectroscopicanalyzer (and/or other spectroscopic analyzers), for example, aspreviously described herein. For example, a first spectroscopic analyzermay be calibrated and may have standardized spectral responses based onanalysis of first-state portfolio samples, as previously describedherein. In some embodiments, the example process 1500 may include usingthe standardized spectral responses of the first spectroscopic analyzerto standardize the spectral responses of a second spectroscopic analyzerusing portfolio sample-based correction(s), for example, as previouslydescribed herein.

If at 1502, it is determined that the second spectroscopic analyzer hasbeen provided with spectral model(s) and has portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), so that spectral responses of the second spectroscopicanalyzer are standardized with the spectral responses of a firstspectroscopic analyzer, the example process 1500, at 1504, may includedetermining whether there has been a change to the second spectroscopicanalyzer causing a need to provide the second spectroscopic analyzerwith spectral model(s) and/or to develop portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) for the second spectroscopic analyzer, for example, aspreviously described herein. If at 1504, it is determined that there hasnot been such a change, at 1506, the example process 1500 may includeusing the second spectroscopic analyzer to analyze material to outputmaterial spectra and predict material properties based at least in partof the material spectra, for example, as previously described herein.Thereafter, the example process 1500 may include proceeding to 1524 (seeFIG. 15B) to determine whether the second spectroscopic analyzer hasbeen changed and/or needs to be provided with spectral model(s) and/orneeds to develop portfolio sample-based correction(s), which may includereturning to 1504 (see FIG. 15A). If at 1502, it is determined that thesecond spectroscopic analyzer needs spectral model(s) and/or needs todevelop portfolio sample-based correction(s), the example process 1500,may proceed to 1508.

If at 1504, it is determined that there has been a change, at 1508, theexample process 1500 may include providing spectral model(s), forexample, from a first spectroscopic analyzer to the second spectroscopicanalyzer, for example, as previously described herein.

At 1510, the example process 1500 also may include analyzing, via thesecond spectroscopic analyzer, second-state portfolio samples to outputsecond-state portfolio sample spectra, for example, as previouslydescribed herein.

The example process 1500, at 1512, further may include comparing thesecond-state portfolio sample spectra to first-state portfolio samplespectra of a selected plurality of corresponding first-state portfoliosamples analyzed by the first spectroscopic analyzer, for example, aspreviously described herein.

At 1514, the example process 1500 also may include determining whetherthere is a substantial variance between the second-state portfoliosample spectra and the first-state portfolio sample spectra, forexample, as previously described herein. If at 1514 it is determinedthat there is no substantial variance, the example process 1500 mayinclude returning to 1506 and using the second spectroscopic analyzer toanalyze material, output material spectra, and predict materialproperties based at least in part on the material spectra, for example,as previously described herein. If at 1514 it is determined that thereis a substantial variance, the example process 1500 may includeproceeding to 1516 (see FIG. 15B).

As shown in FIG. 15B, which depicts an example continuation of theexample process 1500 shown in FIG. 15A, at 1516, the example process1500 still further may include determining and/or outputting portfoliosample-based correction(s) based at least in part on the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio to reduce the variance. For example, aspreviously described herein, the first spectroscopic analyzer may haveanalyzed one or more first-state portfolio samples to output a pluralityof respective first-state portfolio sample spectra, which may becollected to form a standardized analyzer spectra portfolio. In someembodiments, the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio may betransferred to the second spectroscopic analyzer and may be used todetermine portfolio sample-based corrections, for example, as previouslydescribed herein. For example, the second spectroscopic analyzer mayanalyze one or more second-state portfolio samples, which, in someexamples, may be the same as the first-state portfolio samples analyzedby the first spectroscopic analyzer to develop the standardized analyzerspectra portfolio, which includes the first-state portfolio spectra. Avariance, if any, may be determined between the second state portfoliospectra (output by the second spectroscopic analyzer) and respectivefirst-state portfolio spectra (output by the first spectroscopicanalyzer), and the variance may be used to determine and/or outputportfolio sample-based corrections for the second spectroscopicanalyzer.

At 1518, the example process 1500 also may include analyzing, via thesecond spectroscopic analyzer when in the second state, materialreceived from a material source to output material spectra, for example,as previously described herein.

The example process 1500, at 1520, still further may includetransforming, based at least in part on the portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), the material spectra to determine corrected materialspectra for the materials, for example, as previously described herein.

At 1522, the example process 1500 also may include predicting materialproperties for the materials based at least in part on the correctedmaterial spectra and/or a mathematical treatment thereof, for example,as previously described herein.

At 1524, the example process 1500 also may include returning to 1504(see FIG. 15A) to determine whether the second spectroscopic analyzerhas been changed and/or needs to be calibrated or recalibrated, forexample, as previously described herein.

FIG. 16A, FIG. 16B, and FIG. 16C show a block diagram of an examplemethod 1600 for determining and using standardized analyzer spectralresponses for calibration of a plurality of spectroscopic analyzers,such that for a given material each of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers outputs respective spectral responses, based at least in parton which a plurality of material properties of the material may bepredicted or determined that are substantially consistent with oneanother according to embodiments of the disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 16A, at 1602, the example process 1600 may includedetermining whether a first spectroscopic analyzer has been calibratedand has analyzed first-state portfolio samples to develop portfoliosample-based correction(s) (e.g., by analyzing the first-state portfoliosamples), so that spectral responses of the first spectroscopic analyzerare standardized, for example, as previously described herein. Forexample, a first spectroscopic analyzer may be calibrated, as previouslydescribed herein. In some embodiments, the example process 1600 mayinclude using the standardized spectral responses of the firstspectroscopic analyzer to calibrate and/or standardize the spectralresponses of a plurality of spectroscopic analyzers (e.g., using theportfolio sample-based correction(s)) to provide respective correctedstandardized spectral responses, for example, as previously describedherein.

If at 1602, it is determined that the first spectroscopic analyzer(e.g., in the second state) has developed portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) (e.g., by analyzing first-state portfolio samples), sothat spectral responses of the first spectroscopic analyzer arestandardized, at 1604, the example process 1600 may include using thefirst spectroscopic analyzer to output material spectra and predictmaterial properties, for example, as previously described herein.Thereafter, in some embodiments, the example process 1600 may proceed to1618 (see FIG. 16B).

If at 1602, it is determined that the first spectroscopic analyzer hasnot been provided with portfolio sample-based correction(s), and thespectral responses of the first spectroscopic analyzer have not beenstandardized, at 1604, the example process 1600 may include analyzing,via the first spectroscopic analyzer, a plurality of different samplesfrom a set of multi-component samples to output first-state samplespectra, for example, as previously described herein.

At 1608, the example process 1600 also may include determining one ormore spectral models for the first spectroscopic analyzer based at leastin part on the first-state sample spectra and corresponding sample data,for example, as previously described herein.

The example process 1600, at 1610, also may include determining theanalyzer calibration based at least in part on the one or more spectralmodels, for example, as previously described herein. In some examples,development of the spectral models and development of the analyzercalibration may be substantially concurrent and/or substantiallyindistinguishable from one another.

At 1612, the example process 1600 further may include analyzing, via thefirst spectroscopic analyzer, first-state portfolio samples to output astandardized analyzer spectra portfolio including first-state portfoliosample spectra, for example, as previously described herein. In someembodiments, it may be possible for 1612 to occur before or at 1608. Forexample, the first-state portfolio samples may be analyzed prior todetermining spectral models.

The example process 1600, at 1614, still further may include using thefirst spectroscopic analyzer to analyze material to output materialspectra and predict material properties based at least in part on thematerial spectra, for example, as previously described herein.

As shown in FIG. 16B, which depicts an example continuation of theexample process 1600 shown in FIG. 16A, at 1616, the example process1600 still further may include determining whether any of a plurality ofother spectroscopic analyzers have received spectral models and/or haveportfolio sample-based correction(s) to provide standardized spectralresponses (e.g., standardized with respect to the spectral responses ofthe first spectroscopic analyzer). If at 1616, it is determined that atleast some of the other spectroscopic analyzers have not receivedspectral models and/or do not have portfolio sample-based correction(s),the example process 1600 may proceed to 1622. If at 1616 it isdetermined that at least some of the other spectroscopic analyzers havereceived spectral models and have portfolio sample-based correction(s),the example process 1600 may proceed to 1618 to determine whether anysuch spectroscopic analyzers have been changed, such that they need tobe provided with spectral model(s) and/or portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s) (e.g., by analyzing second-state portfolio samples). If at1618 it is determined that such spectroscopic analyzers have not beenchanged in such a way, at 1620, the example process 1600 also mayinclude using the spectroscopic analyzers to analyze materials to outputmaterial spectra, and predict material properties based at least in parton the material spectra, for example, as previously described herein. Ifat 1618 it is determined that such spectroscopic analyzers have beenchanged in such a way, at 1622, the example process 1600 may includeproviding such spectroscopic analyzers with spectral model(s), forexample, from the first spectroscopic analyzer, for example, aspreviously described herein. In some embodiments, the spectral model(s)may be provided from an origin other than the first spectroscopicanalyzer. It is contemplated that in some embodiments, the spectralmodel(s) may already be present. For example, the spectral model(s) mayhave already been provided.

At 1624, the example process 1600 also may include analyzing, via thespectroscopic analyzer(s) lacking respective portfolio sample-basedcorrection(s), one or more second-state portfolio samples to outputsecond-state portfolio sample spectra, for example, as previouslydescribed herein.

The example process 1600, at 1626, still further may include comparingthe second-state portfolio sample spectra of the respectivespectroscopic analyzers to first-state portfolio sample spectra of firstspectroscopic analyzer, for example, as previously described herein.

At 1628, the example process 1600 further still may include determiningwhether there is a substantial variance between the respectivesecond-state portfolio sample spectra and the first-state portfoliosample spectra, for example, as previously described herein. If not, at1630, the example process 1600 may include using the spectroscopicanalyzers to analyze material to output material spectra, and predictmaterial properties based at least in part on the material spectra, forexample, as previously described herein. If at 1628, a substantialvariance is determined, the example process 1600 may include, at 1632(see FIG. 16C), determining and/or outputting respective portfoliosample-based correction(s) for each of the spectroscopic analyzers forwhich a variance exists using the standardized analyzer spectraportfolio to reduce the variance, for example, as previously describedherein.

At 1634, the example process 1600 further may include analyzing, via theanalyzers for which a variance exists, in the second state, materialreceived from a material source to output respective material spectra,for example, as previously described herein.

The example process 1600, at 1636, may still further includetransforming, based at least in part on the respective portfoliosample-based correction(s), the respective material spectra to determinerespective corrected material spectra for the materials, for example, aspreviously described herein.

At 1638, the example process 1600 also may include predicting respectivematerial properties for the respective materials based at least in parton the respective corrected material spectra and/or a mathematicaltreatment thereof, for example, as previously described herein.

The example process 1600, at 1640, still further may include returningto 1616 (see FIG. 16B) to determine whether any of the spectroscopicanalyzers have been changed and/or need to be calibrated orrecalibrated, for example, as previously described herein.

It should be appreciated that subject matter presented herein may beimplemented as a computer process, a computer-controlled apparatus, acomputing system, or an article of manufacture, such as acomputer-readable storage medium. While the subject matter describedherein is presented in the general context of program modules thatexecute on one or more computing devices, those skilled in the art willrecognize that other implementations may be performed in combinationwith other types of program modules. Generally, program modules includeroutines, programs, components, data structures, and other types ofstructures that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types.

Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that aspects of thesubject matter described herein may be practiced on or in conjunctionwith other computer system configurations beyond those described herein,including multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmableconsumer electronics, minicomputers, mainframe computers, handheldcomputers, mobile telephone devices, tablet computing devices,special-purposed hardware devices, network appliances, and the like.

Having now described some illustrative embodiments of the disclosure, itshould be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing ismerely illustrative and not limiting, having been presented by way ofexample only. Numerous modifications and other embodiments are withinthe scope of one of ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated asfalling within the scope of the disclosure. In particular, although manyof the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of methodacts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts andthose elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the sameobjectives. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that theparameters and configurations described herein are exemplary and thatactual parameters and/or configurations will depend on the specificapplication in which the systems and techniques of the disclosure areused. Those skilled in the art should also recognize or be able toascertain, using no more than routine experimentation, equivalents tothe specific embodiments of the disclosure. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that the embodiments described herein are presented by way ofexample only and that, within the scope of any appended claims andequivalents thereto, the disclosure may be practiced other than asspecifically described.

This is a continuation of U.S. Non-provisional application Ser. No.17/652,431, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled “METHODS AND ASSEMBLIES FORDETERMINING AND USING STANDARDIZED SPECTRAL RESPONSES FOR CALIBRATION OFSPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” which claims priority to and the benefit ofU.S. Provisional Application No. 63/153,452, filed Feb. 25, 2021, titled“METHODS AND ASSEMBLIES FOR DETERMINING AND USING STANDARDIZED SPECTRALRESPONSES FOR CALIBRATION OF SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” and U.S.Provisional Application No. 63/268,456, filed Feb. 24, 2022, titled“ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING CONTROL OF FLUID CATALYTICCRACKING (FCC) PROCESSES USING SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYZERS,” the disclosuresof all of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Furthermore, the scope of the present disclosure shall be construed tocover various modifications, combinations, additions, alterations, etc.,above and to the above-described embodiments, which shall be consideredto be within the scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, various featuresand characteristics as discussed herein may be selectively interchangedand applied to other illustrated and non-illustrated embodiment, andnumerous variations, modifications, and additions further can be madethereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentdisclosure as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for determining and using standardizedanalyzer spectral responses to enhance a process for calibration of aplurality of spectroscopic analyzers such that for a given material eachof the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers outputs a plurality ofsignals indicative of a plurality of material properties of thematerial, the plurality of material properties of the material output byeach of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers being substantiallyconsistent with one another, the method comprising: transferring one ormore spectral models to each of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers, each of the one or more spectral models being indicative ofrelationships between a spectrum or spectra and one or more of theplurality of material properties of one or more materials; analyzing,via the first spectroscopic analyzer when in a first state during afirst-state time period, a selected one or more first-state portfoliosamples, thereby to output a standardized analyzer spectra portfolio forthe selected one or more first-state portfolio samples, the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio comprising a first-state portfolio samplespectrum for each of the first-state portfolio samples; analyzing, viaeach of a remainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers when ina second state during a second-state time period, a selected one or moresecond-state portfolio samples, thereby to output second-state portfoliosample spectra for the selected one or more second-state portfoliosamples, each of the second-state portfolio sample spectra beingassociated with a corresponding second-state portfolio sample, theselected one or more first-state portfolio samples including a greaternumber of samples than a number of samples included in the second-stateportfolio samples, and the second-state time period being less than thefirst-state time period; comparing one or more of the second-stateportfolio sample spectra for the selected plurality of portfolio samplesto the first-state sample spectra of a selected plurality ofcorresponding first-state multi-component samples; determining, based atleast in part on the comparing, for the one or more of the selectedplurality of portfolio samples of the second-state portfolio samplespectra, a variance at one or more of a plurality of wavelengths or overa range of wavelengths between the second-state portfolio sample spectraoutput by each of the remainder of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers when in the second state and the first-state sample spectracorresponding to the selected one or more first-state multi-componentmaterial samples output by the first spectroscopic analyzer in the firststate; analyzing, via one or more of the remainder of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers when in the second state, a material receivedfrom a material source, thereby to output a material spectrum; andtransforming, based at least in part on the standardized analyzerspectra portfolio, the material spectrum, thereby to output a correctedmaterial spectrum for the material when in the second state, thecorrected material spectrum including one or more of anabsorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum and defining a standardized spectrum. 2.The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting, via one or more ofthe remainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers, when in thesecond state, a plurality of signals indicative of a plurality ofmaterial properties of the material based at least in part on thecorrected material spectrum, the plurality of material properties of thematerial being substantially consistent with a plurality of materialproperties of the material output by the first spectroscopic analyzer inthe first state.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein outputting theplurality of signals indicative of the plurality of material propertiescomprises outputting the plurality of signals indicative of theplurality of material properties to a display in communication with theone or more of the remainder of the spectroscopic analyzers.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising using the standardized analyzerspectral responses for calibration of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers, and wherein the step of using the standardized analyzerspectral responses comprises: using one or more spectral models from thefirst spectroscopic analyzer when in the first state to calibrate one ormore of the remainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers; anddetermining portfolio sample-based corrections for the one or more ofthe remainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers based at leastin part on the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio and second-stateportfolio sample spectra, so as to define the one or more of theremainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers as being in thesecond state.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein transferring the one ormore spectral models from the first spectroscopic analyzer when in thefirst state to the one or more of the remainder of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers follows a change to the one or more of theremainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers, so as to cause aneed to recalibrate the one or more of the remainder of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein each of theone or more spectral models is indicative of relationships between (a) aspectrum or spectra and (b) one or more properties associated with oneor more of (i) a respective multi-component sample or (ii) a respectivemulti-component material.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising,prior to analyzing the selected plurality of first-state portfoliosamples, analyzing, via the first spectroscopic analyzer when in a firstmaterial time period, a material received from a material source tooutput a plurality of material spectra for the material, each of thematerial spectra being associated with a corresponding material samplefrom the material source and being indicative of a plurality of materialsample properties of the corresponding material sample.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, further comprising creating a material database, thereby todefine a library comprising material data including correlations betweenthe plurality of material spectra and the plurality of material sampleproperties of the corresponding material sample.
 9. The method of claim1, wherein determining the variance comprises determining, for aplurality of wavelengths over the range of wavelengths, one or more of(a) one or more variances at one or more respective individualwavelengths, (b) a mean average variance, (c) one or more ratios ofvariances at respective individual wavelengths, or (d) a combinationthereof.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining arelationship for a plurality of wavelengths over the range ofwavelengths between the second-state portfolio sample spectra and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra, the relationship comprising one ormore of a ratio, an addition, a subtraction, a multiplication, adivision, one or more derivatives, or an equation.
 11. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the spectroscopic analyzer comprises one of anear-infrared spectroscopic analyzer, a mid-infrared spectroscopicanalyzer, a combination of a near-infrared spectroscopic analyzer and amid-infrared spectroscopic analyzer, or a Raman spectroscopic analyzer.12. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to the remainder of theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers to the second state comprises oneor more of maintenance performed on the remainder of the plurality ofspectroscopic analyzers, replacement of one or more components of theremainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers, cleaning of oneor more components of the remainder of the plurality of spectroscopicanalyzers, re-orienting one or more components of the remainder of theplurality of spectroscopic analyzers, a change to a connection between asource of a substance being analyzed and the remainder of the pluralityof spectroscopic analyzers, a change in path length, or preparing theremainder of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers for use.
 13. Themethod of claim 1, wherein one or more of the remainder of thespectroscopic analyzers comprises one or more of (a) one of moreanalyzer sources or (b) one or more detectors, and the transformingcomprises altering a gain associated with one or more of (a) the one ormore analyzer sources, (b) the one or more detectors, or (c) one or moredetector responses associated with one or more of the wavelengths. 14.The method of claim 13, wherein altering the gain comprises altering thegain associated with one or more ranges of wavelengths.
 15. The methodof claim 13, wherein altering the gain comprises applying amathematically-derived correction to the gain associated with one ormore of (a) one or more of the wavelengths, (b) one or more ranges ofwavelengths, or (c) the material spectrum.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein applying the mathematically-derived correction comprisesaltering the gain by one or more of (a) a defined average over a rangeof wavelengths, (b) determined differences at one or more of thewavelengths, or (c) a ratio for one or more of the wavelengths.
 17. Aspectroscopic analyzer assembly to determine and use standardizedanalyzer spectral responses to enhance a process for calibration of aplurality of spectroscopic analyzers such that for a given material eachof the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers outputs a plurality ofsignals indicative of a plurality of material properties of thematerial, the plurality of material properties of the material output byeach of the plurality of spectroscopic analyzers being substantiallyconsistent with one another, the spectroscopic analyzer assemblycomprising: a first spectroscopic analyzer; a first analyzer controllerin communication with the first spectroscopic analyzer, the firstanalyzer controller being configured to: output, based at least in parton one or more signals received from the first spectroscopic analyzerwhen in the first state during a first-state time period, first-statesample spectra for each of a selected plurality of multi-componentsamples, determine one or more spectral models based at least in part onthe first-state sample spectra and corresponding sample data, output,based at least in part on one or more signals received from the firstspectroscopic analyzer when in the first state, a standardized analyzerspectra portfolio for a selected one or more first-state portfoliosamples, the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio comprising afirst-state portfolio sample spectrum for each of the first-stateportfolio samples, output, based at least in part on one or more signalsreceived from the first spectroscopic analyzer when in the second stateduring a second-state time period, a second-state portfolio spectrum foreach of a selected one or more second-state portfolio samples, each ofthe second-state portfolio sample spectra being associated with acorresponding second-state portfolio sample, the multi-component samplesincluding a greater number of samples than a number of samples includedin the second-state portfolio samples, and the second-state time periodfor analyzing the second-state portfolio samples being less than thefirst-state time period, compare one or more of the second-stateportfolio sample spectra for the selected one or more second-stateportfolio samples to a first-state sample spectra of a selectedplurality of corresponding first-state portfolio samples of the firstspectroscopic analyzer as analyzed and output when in the first stateduring the first-state time period, each of the first-state portfoliosample spectra being associated with a corresponding first-stateportfolio sample, determine, based at least in part on the comparing,for the one or more of the selected one or more second-state portfoliosamples of the second-state portfolio sample spectra, a variance at oneor more of a plurality of wavelengths or over a range of wavelengths,between the second-state portfolio sample spectra output by the firstspectroscopic analyzer when in the second state and the first-stateportfolio sample spectra of the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio,the standardized analyzer spectra portfolio to be used to reduce thevariance between the second-state portfolio sample spectra and thefirst-state portfolio sample spectra analyze, when in the second state,a material received from a material source to output a materialspectrum, and transform, based at least in part on the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio, the material spectrum to output a correctedmaterial spectrum for the material when in the second state, thecorrected material spectrum including one or more of anabsorption-corrected spectrum, a transmittance-corrected spectrum, atransflectance-corrected spectrum, a reflectance-corrected spectrum, oran intensity-corrected spectrum, and the corrected material spectrumdefining a standardized spectrum; and a second spectroscopic analyzer incommunication with one or more of the first analyzer controller or asecond analyzer controller, the first analyzer controller further beingconfigured to: transfer one or more spectral models from the firstspectroscopic analyzer when in the first state to the second analyzercontroller, and determine portfolio sample-based corrections for thesecond spectroscopic analyzer based at least in part on the standardizedanalyzer spectra portfolio and the second-state portfolio samplespectra, so as to define the second spectroscopic analyzer as being inthe second state.
 18. The spectroscopic analyzer assembly of claim 17,wherein the first analyzer controller further is configured to output,when the first spectroscopic analyzer is in the second state, aplurality of signals indicative of a plurality of material properties ofthe material based at least in part on the corrected material spectrum,the plurality of material properties of the material being substantiallyconsistent with a plurality of material properties of the materialoutput by the first spectroscopic analyzer in the first state.
 19. Thespectroscopic analyzer assembly of claim 17, wherein the first analyzercontroller further is configures to output a plurality of signalsindicative of the plurality of material properties, and wherein theoutput comprises outputting the plurality of signals indicative of theplurality of material properties to a display in communication with thefirst spectroscopic analyzer.
 20. The spectroscopic analyzer assembly ofclaim 17, wherein the first analyzer controller further is configured totransfer the one or more spectral models and determine the portfoliosample-based corrections following a change to the second spectroscopicanalyzer, so as to cause a need to recalibrate the second spectroscopicanalyzer.
 21. The spectroscopic analyzer assembly of claim 17, whereinthe one or more spectral models is indicative of relationships between aspectrum or spectra and one or more properties associated with one ormore of a respective multi-component sample or a respectivemulti-component material.
 22. The spectroscopic analyzer assembly ofclaim 17, wherein the first analyzer controller further is configured touse standardized analyzer spectra for calibration of the firstspectroscopic analyzer when in the first state after a change to thesame spectroscopic analyzer, so as to cause a need to calibrate orrecalibrate the same spectroscopic analyzer and so as to define the samespectroscopic analyzer as being in the second state.
 23. Thespectroscopic analyzer assembly of claim 17, wherein the first analyzercontroller further is configured to, prior to output of the second-stateportfolio sample spectra for each of a selected one or more second-stateportfolio samples, when in a first material time period, output aplurality of material spectra for a material received from a materialsource, each of the material spectra being associated with acorresponding material sample from the material and being indicative ofa plurality of material sample properties of the corresponding materialsample.
 24. The spectroscopic analyzer assembly of claim 23, wherein thefirst analyzer controller further is configured to one or more of: (a)create a material database, (b) supplement an existing materialdatabase, or (c) access an existing material database, thereby to definea library comprising material data including correlations between theplurality of material spectra and the plurality of material sampleproperties of the corresponding material sample.
 25. The spectroscopicanalyzer assembly of claim 17, wherein the first analyzer controllerfurther is configured to determine the variance by one of: (a)determining a variance at one or more of: (i) an individual wavelength,(ii) a wavenumber, or (iii) a frequency, (b) determining a plurality ofvariances at one or more of: (i) different individual wavelengths, iii)different individual wavenumbers, or (iii) different individualfrequencies, (c) determining one or more of one or more variances at oneor more respective individual wavelengths, or (d) determining, for aplurality of wavelengths over the range of wavelengths, one or more of:(i) a mean average variance, or (ii) one or more ratios of variances atrespective individual wavelengths.
 26. The spectroscopic analyzerassembly of claim 17, wherein the first analyzer controller further isconfigured to determine a relationship for a plurality of wavelengthsover the range of wavelengths between the second-state portfolio samplespectra and the first-state sample spectra, the relationship comprisingone or more of a ratio, an addition, a subtraction, a multiplication, adivision, one or more derivatives, or an equation.
 27. The spectroscopicanalyzer assembly of claim 17, wherein one or more of the firstspectroscopic analyzer or the second spectroscopic analyzer comprisesone of a near-infrared spectroscopic analyzer, a mid-infraredspectroscopic analyzer, a combination of a near-infrared spectroscopicanalyzer and a mid-infrared spectroscopic analyzer, or a Ramanspectroscopic analyzer.
 28. The spectroscopic analyzer assembly of claim17, wherein one or more of: the first spectroscopic analyzer comprises afirst housing and at least a portion of the first analyzer controller iscontained in the first housing, or the second spectroscopic analyzercomprises a second housing and at least a portion of the second analyzercontroller is contained in the second housing.
 29. The spectroscopicanalyzer assembly of claim 17, wherein the change to the firstspectroscopic analyzer between the first state and the second statecomprises one or more of maintenance performed on the firstspectroscopic analyzer, replacement of one or more components of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer, cleaning of one or more components of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer, re-orienting one or more components of thefirst spectroscopic analyzer, a change to a connection between a sourceof a substance being analyzed and the first spectroscopic analyzer, achange in path length, or preparing the first spectroscopic analyzer foruse.
 30. The spectroscopic analyzer assembly of claim 17, wherein: (a)the first spectroscopic analyzer comprises one or more of (i) one ormore analyzer sources or (ii) one or more detectors, and the firstanalyzer controller is configured to alter a gain associated with one ormore of the one or more analyzer sources, the one or more detectors, orone or more detector responses associated with one or more of thewavelengths, and (b) one or more of: (i) altering the gain comprisesaltering the gain associated with one or more of (aa) one or moreindividual wavelengths or (bb) one or more ranges of wavelengths, or(ii) altering the gain comprises applying a mathematically-derivedcorrection to the gain associated with one or more of: (aa) one or moreof the wavelengths, (bb) one or more ranges of wavelengths, or (cc) thespectrum, and applying a mathematically-derived correction comprisesaltering the gain by one or more of a defined average over one or moreranges of wavelengths, determined differences at one or more of thewavelengths, or a ratio for one or more of the wavelengths.